Sample records for coronaries

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the key event in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes and it also occurs during coronary interventions. Atherosclerotic plaque rupture does not always result in complete thrombotic occlusion of the epicardial coronary artery with subsequent impending myocardial infarction, but may in milder forms result in the embolization of atherosclerotic and thrombotic debris into the coronary microcirculation. This review summarizes the present experimental pathophysiology of coronary microembolization in animal models of acute coronary syndromes and highlights the main consequences of coronary microembolization--reduced coronary reserve, microinfarction, inflammation and oxidative modification of contractile proteins, contractile dysfunction and perfusion-contraction mismatch.Furthermore, the review presents the available clinical evidence for coronary microembolization in patients and compares the clinical observations with observations in the experimental model.

@@ Single coronary artery (SCA), defined as an artery that arises from the arterial trunk and nourishes the entire myocardium, is rare. We report two cases of SCA, one is the right coronary artery (RCA) originating from the middle of left descending artery (LAD), and the other is the left main coronary artery (LMCA) arising from the proximal right coronary artery.

Cardiovascular diseases, in particular coronary artery disease, are the leading cause of death and disease in industrialized countries. Atherosclerotic changes of the arterial vessel wall constitute one of the major causes for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Important risk factors for

Cardiovascular diseases, in particular coronary artery disease, are the leading cause of death and disease in industrialized countries. Atherosclerotic changes of the arterial vessel wall constitute one of the major causes for the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Important risk factors for card

Full Text Available Coronary CT angiography is widely recognised as a reliable imaging modality for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Coronary CT angiography not only provides excellent visualisation of anatomical changes in the coronary artery with high diagnostic value in the detection of lumen stenosis or occlusion, but also offers quantitative characterisation of coronary plaque components. Furthermore, coronary CT angiography allows myocardial perfusion imaging with diagnostic value comparable to the reference standard method. Coronary CT angiography-derived haemodynamic analysis has the potential to evaluate functional significance of coronary lesions. This review article aims to provide an overview of clinical applications of coronary CT angiography in coronary artery disease.

Coronary anomalies occur in <1% of the general population and can range from a benign incidental finding to the cause of sudden cardiac death. The coronary anomalies are classified here according to the traditional grouping into those of origin and course, intrinsic arterial anatomy, and

Coronary anomalies occur in <1% of the general population and can range from a benign incidental finding to the cause of sudden cardiac death. The coronary anomalies are classified here according to the traditional grouping into those of origin and course, intrinsic arterial anatomy, and terminat

The concept of a Coronary Heart Team has generated increased interest, including support from major practice guidelines. Here, we review the rationale and the published experience of Coronary Heart Teams. A Coronary Heart Team should be led by both cardiology and cardiac surgery with a shared decision-making approach. The team should incorporate data from anatomic and clinical risk prediction models to offer individualized care. Most teams focus on management of complex patients and those with indications for both coronary artery bypass graft and percutaneous coronary intervention. The potential benefits of a Coronary Heart Team include balanced decision-making, greater adherence to evidence-based practice guidelines, as well as promoting greater collegiality and exchange of knowledge between specialties. Single-center series have demonstrated consistency in decision-making by Coronary Heart Teams but prospective data demonstrating improved patient outcomes and/or cost effectiveness are necessary. The concept of a Coronary Heart Team is gaining traction for patients with complex coronary artery disease. There is a growing literature in support of Coronary Heart Teams but comparative and prospective data demonstrating improved patient outcomes are needed.

A family history of coronary artery disease (CAD) is an important risk factor for adverse coronary events, in particular if the disease has an early onset. The risk of CAD is influenced by genetic and environmental factors with a greater genetic contribution earlier in life. Through recent years...... Registry and risk factor control was evaluated. The study revealed that risk factors are common in early-onset CAD and that a large room for risk factor improvement remains. In study II, we used coronary computed tomography angiography to compare the coronary plaque burden and characteristics between 88...... first-degree relatives of patients with early-onset CAD and 88 controls with no familial predisposition. Relatives had a significantly increased coronary plaque burden, which displayed characteristics associated with myocardial ischemia and adverse coronary events. In study III, 134 patients with early...

... from the NHLBI on Twitter. Living With Coronary Heart Disease Coronary heart disease (CHD) can cause serious complications. However, if you ... changes and medicines, go to "How Is Coronary Heart Disease Treated?" Work closely with your doctor to control ...

Seven saccular coronary artery aneurysms have been demonstrated in the course of 1452 selective coronary artery angiograms. In six patients they were arterio-sclerotic; in one patient the aneurysm must have been congenital or of mycotic-embolic origin. The differential diagnosis between true aneurysms and other causes of vascular dilatation is discussed. Coronary artery aneurysms have a poor prognosis because of the possibility of rupture with resultant cardiac tamponade, or the development of thrombo-embolic myocardial infarction. These aneurysms can only be diagnosed by means of coronary angiography and require appropriate treatment.

The technique of selective coronary arteriography, as described originally by Sones, was employed in 255 patients. Successful catheterization of both coronary arteries was carried out in 88% of these patients, and in the last 100 examinations both coronary arteries were entered in 95 patients. Selective coronary arteriography is a useful diagnostic tool but is a potentially hazardous form of examination as we encountered four episodes of ventricular fibrillation in the present series. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2Figs. 3A-DFig. 3EFig. 3FFig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 6Fig. 7Fig. 8Fig. 9 PMID:5902704

In coronary artery disease (CAD), the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to your heart muscle grow hardened and narrowed. You may try ... these treatments don't help, you may need coronary artery bypass surgery. The surgery creates a new ...

Full Text Available In contrast to effort-induced symptoms in obstructive coronary disease, spasm in normal coronary arteries is characterized by angina at rest. We describe a 44-year-old patient with minor coronary plaques and pure exercised-induced coronary spasm. The case questions the differential pathogenic considerations of variant of the variant as opposed to Prinzmetal's variant angina.

Introduction: Anomalous origin of coronary arteries from opposite sinus of Valsalva is rare finding. The incidence of anomalous origination of the left coronary artery from right sinus is 0.15% and the right coronary artery from the left sinus is 0.92%. The ectopic origin of left coronary artery or right coronary artery from opposite sinus depending on pathways and considering atherosclerotic changes are manifested with different clinical significance. Case report: We report two cases, the first case the coronary angiography showed the left coronary artery arising from the right coronary sinus, presenting with proximally and distally stenosed left anterior descending artery (LAD), associated with medial and distal stenosed right coronary artery (RCA). The second case the coronary angiography revealed the right coronary artery arising from the left coronary sinus, associated with tortuous medial and distal segments of left anterior descending artery (LAD), without atherosclerotic changes. The first case successfully underwent treatment procedures based on guidelines for revascularization. Conclusion: The coronary angiography of patients with coronary ischemia determines atherosclerotic disease with possibility of the presence of coronary artery anomalies that in cases with ectopic origin from opposite sinus continues to exist as a challenge during treatment in interventional cardiology. PMID:27482140

Full Text Available Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of neural tumors though rarely seen in the thorax. The combination with coronary artery diseases is also rare. Here we describe a 66 year-old male who had undergone one-stage combined surgery for thoracic ancient schwannomas removal and coronary artery disease. The masses were, respectively, 13 cm in the middle mediastinum and 5 cm in diameter originating from the intercostal nerve. The tumors were successfully removed using sternotomy, and then a coronary artery bypass grafting was performed. Here we discuss this rare tumor in relation to the relevant literature.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular heart disease is one of the leading health issues in the present era and requires considerable health care resources to prevent it. The present study was focused on the development of a new coronary stent based on novel auxetic geometry which enables the stent to exhibit...... a negative Poisson's ratio. Commercially available coronary stents have isotropic properties, whereas the vascular system of the body shows anisotropic characteristics. This results in a mismatch between anisotropic-isotropic properties of the stent and arterial wall, and this in turn is not favorable...... for mechanical adhesion of the commercially available coronary stents with the arterial wall. It is believed that an auxetic coronary stent with inherent anisotropic mechanical properties and negative Poisson's ratio will have good mechanical adhesion with the arterial wall. METHODS: The auxetic design...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death ... happens when the arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. This is due ...

Full Text Available Coronary artery fistula is an uncommon finding during angiographic exams. We report a case series of five patients with congenital coronary fistulas. The first patient was 56 years old and had a coronary fistula associated with a partial atrio ventricular defect, the second patient was 54 years old and had two fistulas originating from the right coronary artery with a severe atherosclerotic coronary disease, the third patient was 57 years old with a fistula originating from the circumflex artery associated with a rheumatic mitral stenosis, the fourth patient was 50 years old and had a fistulous communication between the right coronary artery and the right bronchial artery, and the last patient was 12 years old who had bilateral coronary fistulas draining into the right ventricle with an aneurismal dilatation of the coronary arteries. Angiographic aspects of coronary fistulas are various; management is controversial and depends on the presence of symptoms.

Full Text Available Cardiovascular disease is the dominant cause of mortality in developed countries, with coronary artery disease (CAD a predominant contributor. The development of stents to treat CAD was a significant innovation, facilitating effective percutaneous coronary revascularization. Coronary stents have evolved from bare metal compositions, to incorporate advances in pharmacological therapy in what are now known as drug eluting stents (DES. Deployment of a stent overcomes some limitations of balloon angioplasty alone, but provides an acute stimulus for thrombus formation and promotes neointimal hyperplasia. First generation DES effectively reduced in-stent restenosis, but profoundly delay healing and are susceptible to late stent thrombosis, leading to significant clinical complications in the long term. This review characterizes the development of coronary stents, detailing the incremental improvements, which aim to attenuate the major clinical complications of thrombosis and restenosis. Despite these enhancements, coronary stents remain fundamentally incompatible with the vasculature, an issue which has largely gone unaddressed. We highlight the latest modifications and research directions that promise to more holistically design coronary implants that are truly biocompatible.

Full Text Available Coronary artery anomalies represent a disease spectrum from incidental to life-threatening. Anomalies of coronary artery origin and course are well-recognized in human medicine, but have received limited attention in veterinary medicine. Coronary artery anomalies are best described in the dog, hamster, and cow though reports also exist in the horse and pig. The most well-known anomaly in veterinary medicine is anomalous coronary artery origin with a prepulmonary course in dogs, which limits treatment of pulmonary valve stenosis. A categorization scheme for coronary artery anomalies in animals is suggested, dividing these anomalies into those of major or minor clinical significance. A review of coronary artery development, anatomy, and reported anomalies in domesticated species is provided and four novel canine examples of anomalous coronary artery origin are described: an English bulldog with single left coronary ostium and a retroaortic right coronary artery; an English bulldog with single right coronary ostium and transseptal left coronary artery; an English bulldog with single right coronary ostium and absent left coronary artery with a prepulmonary paraconal interventricular branch and an interarterial circumflex branch; and a mixed-breed dog with tetralogy of Fallot and anomalous origin of all coronary branches from the brachiocephalic trunk. Coronary arterial fistulae are also described including a coronary cameral fistula in a llama cria and an English bulldog with coronary artery aneurysm and anomalous shunting vessels from the right coronary artery to the pulmonary trunk. These examples are provided with the intent to raise awareness and improve understanding of such defects.

Coronary artery problems in children usually have a significant impact on both short-term and long-term outcomes. Early and accurate diagnosis, therefore, is crucial but technically challenging due to the small size of the coronary artery, high heart rates, and limited cooperation of children. Coronary artery visibility on CT and MRI in children is considerably improved with recent technical advancements. Consequently, CT and MRI are increasingly used for evaluating various congenital and acquired coronary artery abnormalities in children, such as coronary artery anomalies, aberrant coronary artery anatomy specific to congenital heart disease, Kawasaki disease, Williams syndrome, and cardiac allograft vasculopathy. PMID:25741188

Full Text Available The patient is a male with risk factors for coronary artery disease, who was referred for cardiac catheterization after acute myocardial infarction in the inferior wall. The patient underwent transluminal coronary angioplasty in the right coronary artery with successful stent implantation.

In this thesis several aspects of passive and active coronary perfusion during coronary angioplasty are investigated. The autoperfusion balloon catheters that were evaluated are the Stack® and the RX-60® catheters (Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, inc., Santa Clara, California, U.S.A). The coronary

In this thesis several aspects of passive and active coronary perfusion during coronary angioplasty are investigated. The autoperfusion balloon catheters that were evaluated are the Stack® and the RX-60® catheters (Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, inc., Santa Clara, California, U.S.A). The coronary

Coronary arteriography is not necessary in all patients with angina pectoris. Angiography is indicated to define coronary anatomy in patients who have persistent angina despite full medication. It is also indicated in patients with a markedly positive stress test, unstable angina pectoris, positive stress test following myocardial infarction, variants of angina, ventricular aneurysm complications, and in the young coronary patient. Coronary arteriography may clarify the diagnosis in patients ...

... from the NHLBI on Twitter. What Is Coronary Heart Disease? Español Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease in which a waxy ... medical procedures can help prevent or treat coronary heart disease. These treatments may reduce the risk of related ...

Rising age, repeated percutaneous coronary revascularizations, and co-morbidity such as overweight, diabetes, and hypertension, characterize a change over the last 20-30 years in coronary patients referred to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This patient group represents a great part of to...

We presented a case of anomalous single-coronary artery detected incidentally during routine coronary angiography. A 32-year-old male Chinese patient presented with recurrent pre-syncope and six episodes of syncope. Coronary angiography and coronary-computed tomography (CT)-angiography performed by a dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) revealed that the patient had a single large right coronary artery. A moderately large branch originated from the proximal part of the single right coronary artery and extended to the left, passing the anterior to the pulmonary artery, and divided into the anterior descending artery branch and circumflex branch at the base of the left auricular appendage. The episodes of the syncope were suspected to be caused by coronary arterial spasm, so this patient was on a regimen of 30 mg of diltiazem every 6 h and had no recurrence of syncope during follow-up.

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries is uncommon but clinically significant. Manifestations vary from asymptomatic patients to those who present with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, syncope, arrhythmias, and sudden death. We describe 4 patients, aged 34 to 59 years, who were diagnosed with right coronary artery arising from the left sinus of Valsalva, confirmed by coronary angiography, which was surgically repaired. Three patients presented dyspnea and angina, and one with acute myocardial infarction. At operation, the right coronary artery was dissected at the take-off from the intramural course, and reimplanted into the right sinus of Valsalva. There was no mortality. One patient had associated coronary artery disease that required stent placement postoperatively. This reimplantation technique provides a good physiological and anatomical repair, eliminates a slit-like ostium, avoids compression of the coronary artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and gives superior results to coronary artery bypass grafting or the unroofing technique.

Variants and congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries are usually asymptomatic, but may present with severe chest pain or cardiac arrest. The introduction of multidetector CT coronary angiography (MDCT-CA) allows the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis. Improved performance with isotropic spatial resolution and higher temporal resolution provides a valid alternative to conventional coronary angiography (CCA) in many patients. MDCT-CA is now considered the ideal tool for three-dimensional visualization of the complex and tortuous anatomy of the coronary arteries. With multiplanar and volume-rendered reconstructions, MDCT-CA may even outperform CCA in determining the relative position of vessels, thus providing a better view of the coronary vascular anatomy. The purpose of this review is to describe the normal anatomy of the coronary arteries and their main variants based on MDCT-CA with appropriate reconstructions. (orig.)

This study explored the feasibility and safety of percutaneous coronary balloon angioplasty (PTCA) with miniaturized PTCA equipment via the radial artery. Coronary angioplasty (PTCA) via the femoral or brachial arteries may be associated with rare vascular complications such as bleeding and damage to the artery and adjacent structures. It was postulated that PTCA via the radial artery with miniaturized angioplasty equipment is feasible and that no major puncture site-related complications occur because hemostasis is obtained easily and because no major structures are near the radial artery. With double blood supply to the hand, radial artery occlusion is well tolerated. In 100 patients with collateral blood supply to the right hand, PTCA was attempted with 6F guiding catheters and rapid-exchange balloon catheters for exertional angina (87 patients) or nonexertional angina (13 patients). Angioplasty was attempted in 122 lesions (type A n = 67 [55%], Type B n = 37 [30%], and type C n = 18 [15%]). Pre- and post-PTCA computerized quantitative coronary analysis was performed. Radial artery function and structure were assessed clinically and with Doppler and two-dimensional ultrasound on the day of discharge. Coronary catheterization via the radial artery was successful in 94 patients (94%). The 6 remaining patients had successful PTCA via the femoral artery (n = 5) or the brachial artery (n = 1). Procedural success (120 of 122 lesions) was achieved in 92 patients (98%) via the radial artery and in 98 patients of the total study population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The acute coronary syndrome is the most severe form of coronary artery disease. It is an immediate threat of life and the mortality rate can be high without proper therapy and patient management. Based on the first ECG, two different forms can be distinguished: acute coronary syndrome with and without ST elevation. Besides adequate medication, management of these patients is an essential part of treatment. In case of ST elevation, coronarography and percutaneous coronary intervention is needed in general, within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms. When ST elevation is not detected on the ECG, individual ischemic risk factors and predictable mortality of the patient may define the necessity and the date of the invasive examination. The Hungarian hemodynamic laboratory network covers almost the whole country and, therefore, practically each patient may receive a state-of-the-art therapy. Although indicators of cardiovascular diseases are still prominent, the mortality rate of myocardial Infarction is decreasing in Hungary due to the well-organized invasive care.

We present a case of 73 year-old patient who underwent coronary angiography due to suspicion of acute coronary syndrome without persistent ST segment elevation. The angiographic result showed no lesions that could cause recurrent chest pain,but it also revealed a seldom coronary artery abnormality - left coronary artery arising from right coronary sinus. Performed computed tomography of the chest confirmed the result of the coronarography. But apart from that it found the signs of neoplastic disease which was probably responsible for clinical presentation.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Coronary tortuosity (CT is a common coronary angiographic finding. Whether CT leads to an apparent reduction in coronary pressure distal to the tortuous segment of the coronary artery is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of CT on coronary pressure distribution by numerical simulation. METHODS: 21 idealized models were created to investigate the influence of coronary tortuosity angle (CTA and coronary tortuosity number (CTN on coronary pressure distribution. A 2D incompressible Newtonian flow was assumed and the computational simulation was performed using finite volume method. CTA of 30°, 60°, 90°, 120° and CTN of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 were discussed under both steady and pulsatile conditions, and the changes of outlet pressure and inlet velocity during the cardiac cycle were considered. RESULTS: Coronary pressure distribution was affected both by CTA and CTN. We found that the pressure drop between the start and the end of the CT segment decreased with CTA, and the length of the CT segment also declined with CTA. An increase in CTN resulted in an increase in the pressure drop. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to no-CT, CT can results in more decrease of coronary blood pressure in dependence on the severity of tortuosity and severe CT may cause myocardial ischemia.

Full Text Available Scientific background: Various diagnostic tests including conventional invasive coronary angiography and non-invasive computed tomography (CT coronary angiography are used in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD. Research questions: The present report aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, prognostic value cost-effectiveness as well as the ethical, social and legal implications of CT coronary angiography versus invasive coronary angiography in the diagnosis of CHD. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in electronic data bases (MEDLINE, EMBASE etc. in October 2010 and was completed with a manual search. The literature search was restricted to articles published from 2006 in German or English. Two independent reviewers were involved in the selection of the relevant publications. The medical evaluation was based on systematic reviews of diagnostic studies with invasive coronary angiography as the reference standard and on diagnostic studies with intracoronary pressure measurement as the reference standard. Study results were combined in a meta-analysis with 95 % confidence intervals (CI. Additionally, data on radiation doses from current non-systematic reviews were taken into account. A health economic evaluation was performed by modelling from the social perspective with clinical assumptions derived from the meta-analysis and economic assumptions derived from contemporary German sources. Data on special indications (bypass or in-stent-restenosis were not included in the evaluation. Only data obtained using CT scanners with at least 64 slices were considered. Results: No studies were found regarding the clinical efficacy or prognostic value of CT coronary angiography versus conventional invasive coronary angiography in the diagnosis of CHD. Overall, 15 systematic reviews with data from 44 diagnostic studies using invasive coronary angiography as the reference standard (identification of obstructive

Coronary angiography has the potential to determine coronary function in addition to merely showing coronary anatomy. In this thesis, we describe several facets of angiographic evaluation of coronary flow velocity and function. Measurement of the length of the coronary vessels by means of a guide

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an important etiology of nonatherosclerotic acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. Innovations in the catheterization laboratory including optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound have enhanced the ability to visualize intimal disruption and intramural hematoma associated with SCAD. Formerly considered "rare," these technological advances and heightened awareness suggest that SCAD is more prevalent than prior estimates. SCAD is associated with female sex, young age, extreme emotional stress, or extreme exertion, pregnancy, and fibromuscular dysplasia. The clinical characteristics and management strategies of SCAD patients are different than for atherosclerotic heart disease and deserve specific consideration. This review will highlight recent discoveries about SCAD as well as describe current efforts to elucidate remaining gaps in knowledge.

There are exciting findings in the field of depression and coronary heart disease. Whether diagnosed or simply self-reported, depression continues to mark very high risk for a recurrent acute coronary syndrome or for death in patients with coronary heart disease. Many intriguing mechanisms have been posited to be implicated in the association between depression and heart disease, and randomized controlled trials of depression treatment are beginning to delineate the types of depression manage...

Background¿ The role of coffee in the cardiovascular system is not yet clear. We examined the relation of coffee intake with coronary calcification in a population-based cohort. Methods and Results¿ The study involved 1570 older men and women without coronary heart disease who participated in the Ro

Background-The role of coffee in the cardiovascular system is not yet clear. We examined the relation of coffee intake with coronary calcification in a population-based cohort. Methods and Results-The study involved 1570 older men and women without coronary heart disease who participated in the Rott

textabstractBACKGROUND - The role of coffee in the cardiovascular system is not yet clear. We examined the relation of coffee intake with coronary calcification in a population-based cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS - The study involved 1570 older men and women without coronary heart disease who particip

Significant progress in cardiac surgery, and specifically the surgical management of coronary artery disease, has been due in large part to enabling technology. Robotic systems have been recently developed and refined for use in cardiac surgery to facilitate, among other procedures, a totally endoscopic approach to coronary artery bypass surgery. These systems enhance precision through endoscopic approaches by specifically addressing the inherent limitations of conventional endoscopic coronary microsurgical instrumentation via computerized, digital interface, telemanipulation technology. With a combined experience of 125 patients, several groups have independently demonstrated the clinical feasibility of totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass with two commercially available robotic telemanipulation systems. Additional enabling technology is needed to overcome the challenges currently limiting development and widespread application of totally endoscopic off-pump multivessel coronary artery bypass surgery.

Full Text Available Neoangiogenesis in coronary heart disease is a protective reaction aimed to improve ischemic myocardial perfusion, by increasing the number and size of arterial collaterals. Placental growth factor (PlGF is one of the key peptides regulating angiogenic processes in atherosclerosis. In particular, a number of investigators have shown that injection of recombinant PlGF into the system or regional blood flow can stimulate neoangiogenesis. On the other hand, there is evidence confirming the involvement of PlGF in the progression of atherosclerosis and in the development of acute coronary syndrome. In this connection, the problem of investigating the efficiency and safety of possible use of PlGF preparations, as well as its place in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndrome remains urgent

Coronary artery bypass surgery has shown its superiority on other therapeutic options in specific but frequent indications such as left main lesions, multivessel disease with alteration of ventricular function, proximal lesions of the LAD, and multivessel diseases in diabetic patients. After reviewing the epidemiology of coronary artherosclerosis, we emphasize the efficacy of the surgical treatment compared to medical or interventional therapy for preventing ischemic events. The results deriv...

PURPOSE: Depression is common following acute coronary syndrome, and thus, it is important to provide knowledge to improve prevention and detection of depression in this patient group. The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) whether indicators of stressors and coping resources were risk...... factors for developing depression early and later after an acute coronary syndrome and (2) whether prior depression modified these associations. METHODS: The study was a register-based cohort study, which includes 87,118 patients with a first time diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome during the period.......8 % developed a recurrent depression. Most patient characteristics (demographic factors, socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, health-related behavioural factors, somatic comorbidities, and severity of acute coronary syndrome) were significantly associated with increased HRs for both early and later...

Many patients undergoing coronary angiography because of chest pain syndromes, believed to be indicative of obstructive atherosclerosis of the epicardial coronary arteries, are found to have normal angiograms. In the past two decades, a number of studies have reported that abnormalities in the function and structure of the coronary microcirculation may occur in patients without obstructive atherosclerosis, but with risk factors or with myocardial diseases as well as in patients with obstructive atherosclerosis; furthermore, coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) can be iatrogenic. In some instances, CMD represents an epiphenomenon, whereas in others it is an important marker of risk or may even contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and myocardial diseases, thus becoming a therapeutic target. This review article provides an update on the clinical relevance of CMD in different clinical settings and also the implications for therapy. PMID:24366916

The anatomy of the coronary circulation is well described with incidence of congenital anomalies of approximately 0.3% to 1.0%. Although often incidental, 20% are life-threatening. A 25-year-old woman with syncopal episodes collapsed following a 10-km run. Coronary anatomy evaluation showed an anomalous left main coronary artery originating from the right sinus of valsalva and following a course between the aorta and the pulmonary outflow tract. Percutaneous coronary intervention was followed by eventual surgical revascularization. Abnormal course of coronary arteries plays a role in the pathogenesis of sudden death on exertion. Origin of the left main coronary from the right sinus of valsalva is a rare congenital anomaly. The expansion of the roots of the aorta and pulmonary trunk with exertion lead to compression of the coronary artery and syncope. Our patient raises awareness of a potentially fatal coronary artery path. Intraoperative identification of anomalous coronaries by utilizing intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was critical.

Coronary artery fistula is an uncommon clinical entity. The most common coronary artery fistula is from the right coronary artery to the right side of the heart, and it is less frequent to the pulmonary artery. The effect of a coronary artery fistula may be physiologically significant because of the steal phenomenon resulting in coronary ischemia. Based on published reports, it is recommended that patients with congenital coronary artery fistulas be considered candidates for elective surgical correction to prevent complications including development of congestive heart failure, angina, subacute bacterial endocarditis, myocardial infarction, and coronary aneurysm formation with rupture or embolization. A patient is presented in whom treadmill-exercise thallium imaging was effective in determining the degree of coronary steal from a coronary artery fistula, leading to successful corrective surgery.

A 69-year old female patient was admitted because of 3 days of worsened chest pain.Coronary angiography showed60% stenosis of distal left main stem,chronic total occlusion of left anterior descending (LAD),70% stenosis at the ostium of a smallleft circumflex,70-90%stenosis at the paroxysmal and middle part of a dominant fight coronary artery (RCA),and a normal left internalmammary artery (LIMA) with normal origination and orientation.Percutaneous intervention was attempted but failed on the occludedlesion of LAD.The patient received minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) with left LIMA isolation by Davincirobot.Eleven days later,the RCA lesion was treated by Sirolimus Rapamicin eluting stents implantation percutaneously.Then thepatient was discharged uneventfully after 3 days hospitalization.Our experience suggests that two stop shops of hybrid technique befeasible and safe in the treatment of elderly patient with multiple coronary diseases.

Background: Isolated stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery can be treated with medication, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or coronary artery bypass grafting. Recently a new treatment has been developed, which is called minimally invasive direct coronary artery

Primary coronary artery dissection occurring as a spontaneous event and not associated with trauma due to catheter manipulation is rare. We recently experienced (a case of) a 52-year-old man with primary artery dissection. He was admitted to our hospital with severe chest pain as his chief complaint on September 6, 1988. Electrocardiography and laboratory data showed acute inferior myocardial infarction. He was treated with medication and underwent coronary angiograms on October 3, 1988. Right coronary angiogram revealed an intimal flap and false lumen. But right coronary angiograms 6 months after the onset of myocardial infarction revealed progression of stenosis but no intimal flap, and coronary spasm was not evoked after acetylcholine administration. Primary coronary artery dissection has been reported since Pretty's first description of it in 1931. The majority of earlier cases were diagnosed at autopsy, but recently reports of survivors have been increasing due to the progress in and popularization of coronary angiographic technics. This case is the 46th case of primary coronary dissection found by coronary angiography. So it is not extremely rare. In our case the involved artery was the right coronary artery. In survivors, right coronary artery dissection is more frequent than left, because the area supplied by the right coronary artery is smaller than the area supplied by the left one. Although in our case coronary artery stenosis progressed, after a long term resolution of dissection may occur. There are a few cases in which resolution of dissection occurred naturally.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dissection of a coronary artery is a recognised and significant complication of diagnostic coronary angiography that often requires emergency coronary artery bypass grafting. A coronary stent was used to treat this complication. This technique has potential advantages in terms of speed of reperfusion and availability in centres performing diagnostic angiography without surgical cover on site.

Full Text Available Slow coronary flow (SCF but normal epicardial coronary arteries phenomenon frequently have asymptomatic course, however, some reports have showed that this phenomenon may cause angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia and infarction. We described a patient presented with supraventricular tachycardia and Troponin elevation and whose coronary angiography’s had previously revealed slow flow in entire major epicardial coronary arteries.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the existence of controversial debates on the efficiency of coronary endarterectomy (CE, it is still used as an adjunct to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG. This is particularly true in patients with endstage coronary artery disease. Given the improvements in cardiac surgery and postoperative care, as well as the rising number of elderly patient with numerous co-morbidities, re-evaluating the pros and cons of this technique is needed. Methods Patient demographic information, operative details and outcome data of 104 patients with diffuse calcified coronary artery disease were retrospectively analyzed with respect to functional capacity (NYHA, angina pectoris (CCS and mortality. Actuarial survival was reported using a Kaplan-Meyer analysis. Results Between August 2001 and March 2005, 104 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG with adjunctive coronary endarterectomy (CE in the Department of Thoracic-, Cardiac- and Vascular Surgery, University of Goettingen. Four patients were lost during follow-up. Data were gained from 88 male and 12 female patients; mean age was 65.5 ± 9 years. A total of 396 vessels were bypassed (4 ± 0.9 vessels per patient. In 98% left internal thoracic artery (LITA was used as arterial bypass graft and a total of 114 vessels were endarterectomized. CE was performed on right coronary artery (RCA (n = 55, on left anterior descending artery (LAD (n = 52 and circumflex artery (RCX (n = 7. Ninety-five patients suffered from 3-vessel-disease, 3 from 2-vessel- and 2 from 1-vessel-disease. Closed technique was used in 18%, open technique in 79% and in 3% a combination of both. The most frequent endarterectomized localization was right coronary artery (RCA = 55%. Despite the severity of endstage atherosclerosis, hospital mortality was only 5% (n = 5. During follow-up (24.5 ± 13.4 months, which is 96% complete (4 patients were lost caused by unknown address 8 patients died (cardiac

Background Despite the existence of controversial debates on the efficiency of coronary endarterectomy (CE), it is still used as an adjunct to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This is particularly true in patients with endstage coronary artery disease. Given the improvements in cardiac surgery and postoperative care, as well as the rising number of elderly patient with numerous co-morbidities, re-evaluating the pros and cons of this technique is needed. Methods Patient demographic information, operative details and outcome data of 104 patients with diffuse calcified coronary artery disease were retrospectively analyzed with respect to functional capacity (NYHA), angina pectoris (CCS) and mortality. Actuarial survival was reported using a Kaplan-Meyer analysis. Results Between August 2001 and March 2005, 104 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with adjunctive coronary endarterectomy (CE) in the Department of Thoracic-, Cardiac- and Vascular Surgery, University of Goettingen. Four patients were lost during follow-up. Data were gained from 88 male and 12 female patients; mean age was 65.5 ± 9 years. A total of 396 vessels were bypassed (4 ± 0.9 vessels per patient). In 98% left internal thoracic artery (LITA) was used as arterial bypass graft and a total of 114 vessels were endarterectomized. CE was performed on right coronary artery (RCA) (n = 55), on left anterior descending artery (LAD) (n = 52) and circumflex artery (RCX) (n = 7). Ninety-five patients suffered from 3-vessel-disease, 3 from 2-vessel- and 2 from 1-vessel-disease. Closed technique was used in 18%, open technique in 79% and in 3% a combination of both. The most frequent endarterectomized localization was right coronary artery (RCA = 55%). Despite the severity of endstage atherosclerosis, hospital mortality was only 5% (n = 5). During follow-up (24.5 ± 13.4 months), which is 96% complete (4 patients were lost caused by unknown address) 8 patients died (cardiac failure: 3

Since the drug eluting stents appeared in Japan, the indication for percutaneous coronary intervention has become wide-spread for the treatment of coronary artery disease. In the past decade, 216 patients underwent emergency/urgent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in our institution, while the annual numbers of both emergency and elective CABG cases have declined. On the contrary to the decreasing number, emergency CABG patients were significantly getting older with multiple co-morbidities. Thus, off-pump CABG is likely to be beneficial for preventing postoperative complications, leading to the decreased postoperative mortality. When emergency CABG patients developed refractory myocardial ischemia and unstable hemodynamics, a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system was quickly applicable and useful for on-pump beating CABG achieving complete surgical revascularization. For keeping satisfactory hemodynamics during CABG, communication between cardiovascular surgeons, anesthesiologists, and perfusionists is most important.

The concept that atherosclerosis is an inflammation has been increasingly recognized,and subsequently resulted in great interest in revealing the inflammatory nature of the atherosclerotic process.More recently,a large body of evidence has supported the idea that inflammatory mechanisms play a pivotal role throughout all phases of atherogenesis,from endothelial dysfunction and the formation of fatty streaks to plaque destabilization and the acute coronary events due to vulnerable plaque rupture.Indeed,although triggers and pathways of inflammation are probably multiple and vary in different clinical entities of atherosclerotic disorders,an imbalance between anti-inflammatory mechanisms and pro-inflammatory factors will result in an atherosclerotic progression.Vascular endothelial dysfunction and lipoprotein retention into the arterial intima have been reported as the earliest events in atherogenesis with which inflammation is linked.Inflammatory has also been extended to the disorders of coronary microvasculature,and associated with special subsets of coronary artery disease such as silent myocardial ischemia,myocardial ischemia-reperfusion,cardiac syndrome X,variant angina,coronary artery ectasia,coronary calcification and in-stent restenosis.Inflammatory biomarkers,originally studied to better understand the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis,have generated increasing interest among researches and clinicians.The identification of inflammatory biomarkers and cellular/molecular pathways in atherosclerotic disease represent important goals in cardiovascular disease research,in particular with respect of the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse atherosclerotic diseases.

The coronary arteries of the goat heart were studied using angiographic techniques and molds of the coronary vessel trees. Blood supplies to the left and right ventricles, interventricular septum, atrioventricular node, and apex of the caprine heart were studied. The goat possesses a left dominant pattern of coronary supply with relatively uniform coronary anatomy and may provide a good large animal model for testing cardiovascular assist devices.

Full Text Available Aneurysm of the left main coronary artery is a rare angiographic finding, with few cases described in the international literature. We report the case of a 42-year-old male with a previous history of acute myocardial infarction, whose coronariography indicated triple vessel coronary disease and an aneurysm of the left main coronary artery. A review of the etiology, clinical aspects, and surgical management of coronary arterial aneurysm is presented.

Physicians cannot rely solely on the angiographic appearance of epicardial coronary artery stenosis when evaluating patients with myocardial ischemia. Instead, sound knowledge of coronary vascular physiology and of the methods currently available for its characterization can improve the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of invasive assessment of the coronary circulation, and help improve clinical decision-making. In this article we summarize the current methods available for a thorough assessment of coronary physiology.

Coronary air embolism remains a recognised complication of coronary catheterisation despite a strong emphasis on prevention. Current treatment consists of supportive measures with 100% oxygen and analgesia. Recent case reports describe the use of mechanical treatments aimed at dispersing or removing the air embolus with variable success. A case of coronary air embolism causing an acute coronary syndrome is described that was definitively treated with an aspiration system. The effectiveness of...

Coronary perforation is a potentially fatal complication during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Reports have shown that it occurs in 0.2 to 0.6% of all patients undergoing the procedures. [1-3] Though the frequency of coronary perforation is low, it is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation that warrants prompt recognition and management. Here we illustrate a case of coronary perforation, and review the incidence, causes, clinical sequelae and management of coronary pe...

Failed rescue coronary angioplasty is a high risk situation because of high mortality. Coronary stent has given us the chance of improving and maintaining the patency of the artery. We report our preliminary experience of rescue stenting after unsuccessful coronary angioplasty.

Full Text Available Possibilities of modern antiplatelet and antithrombotic therapy at percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with coronary artery disease are surveyed. Data of multicenter randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses are discussed. Possibilities of various drugs at percutaneous coronary interventions are reported from position of the international clinical guidelines.

Despite the large number of people who die from complications to coronary atherosclerosis, the method of investigation of the coronary arteries has remained virtually unchanged since the time of Virchow. In this article we will present a method for investigation of the coronary arteries using p...

markdownabstractCoronary CT angiography is a well-established diagnostic modality for stable angina pectoris. It provides an angiographic, non-invasive alternative for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, exceeding in the ability to exclude important coronary artery disease. Having the ability

Full Text Available A 51-year-old gentleman, who regularly smoked cannabis, presented with chest pain and diaphoresis. He was haemodynamically stable. ECG showed ST depression, inferiorly, and 1 mm ST elevation in lead aVR. Emergent coronary angiography showed thrombotic occlusion of the left main coronary artery (LMCA, the dominant RCA provided Rentrop grade II collaterals to the LAD. The LMCA was successfully reopened by deployment of a bare-metal stent. Animal heart models suggest that endogenous cannibinoids may cause ischaemic preconditioning. This case suggests that the severity of ischaemia, and hence ECG changes and haemodynamic consequences following an acute occlusion of the LMCA, can be ameliorated by coronary collateralisation and possibly by preconditioning of the myocardium.

Full Text Available Prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD has increased with the expansion of life span among the elderly population in the world. Hence, the issue of the coronary artery bypass in octogenarians has attracted more attention. Recent literature about the topic revealed nearly the same excellent results as those in the younger population under the newly developed operative techniques and improving concept in perioperative management and postoperative care. In this article, we review the current status of the procedure that was thought to be dangerous in the earlier era, including its risk factors, result, and benefit.

Full Text Available Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome with a high risk of mortality. The clinical presentation is similar to the atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. The diagnosis is usually made by coronary angiography. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is more common in women than men. Fast and accurate diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous coronary artery dissection patients improves survival. Therapeutic options include surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention and medical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease, primarily involving the left-sided structures, is often seen in patients with Turner Syndrome. Moreover, a few case reports have indicated that coronary anomalies may be more prevalent in Turner Syndrome than in the normal population. We therefore set out...... to systematically investigate coronary arterial anatomy by computed tomographic coronary angiography (coronary CTA) in Turner Syndrome patients. METHODS: Fifty consecutive women with Turner Syndrome (mean age 47 years [17-71]) underwent coronary CTA. Patients were compared with 25 gender-matched controls. RESULTS......: Coronary anomaly was more frequent in patients with Turner Syndrome than in healthy controls [20% vs. 4% (p = 0.043)]. Nine out of ten abnormal cases had an anomalous left coronary artery anatomy (absent left main trunk, n = 7; circumflex artery originating from the right aortic sinus, n = 2). One case had...

... You may also be asked to remove hearing aids and removable dental work. Women will be asked to remove bras ... both diagnosis and treatment in a single session. Patients with a high risk of coronary artery disease and typical symptoms might ...

Coronary artery fistulas are rare anomalies of the coronary arteries that may sometimes cause symptoms by shunting blood flow away from the myocardial capillary network. We report the case of a 46-year old lady which shows the right coronary cusp giving rise to left main coronary artery called anomalous origin of a coronary artery (AOCA), and also a fistula between the left coronary artery and pulmonary artery. We describe our diagnostic approach and review the literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, the diagnostic modalities, and treatment options. PMID:22937462

Full Text Available Coronary artery fistulas are rare anomalies of the coronary arteries that may sometimes cause symptoms by shunting blood flow away from the myocardial capillary network. We report the case of a 46-year old lady which shows the right coronary cusp giving rise to left main coronary artery called anomalous origin of a coronary artery (AOCA, and also a fistula between the left coronary artery and pulmonary artery. We describe our diagnostic approach and review the literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, the diagnostic modalities, and treatment options.

Full Text Available ABSTRACTDual coronary artery fistulae (CAF involving both right and left coronary trees are uncommon; accounting for only 5% of all CAFs. A 48-year-old male patient was admitted to our institution for evaluation of chest pain. The coronary angiography revealed fistulae from left main coronary artery (LMCA and right coronary artery (RCA to the pulmonary artery. We concluded that angina pectoris was caused by a steal phenomenon and the patient was recommended surgical intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting three fistulae associated with multiple aneurysms originating from proximal coronary arteries, which were connected to the pulmonary artery.

Full Text Available Introduction. Psychological reactions are often comorbid with coronary risk factors and could be important for a six-month outcome. Objective. Determination of anxiety level, depression and aggression, persistence of risk health behaviour, stress life events, and coronary risk factors after coronary event and a predictive value of those parameters for six-month rehospitalization. Methods. In the group with Angina Pectoris (E1=30 and the group with Acute Myocardial Infarction (E2=33, there were applied, at baseline and after 6 months, the following: Semistructured Clinical Interview based on ICD-10, for depressive episode and anxiety disorder, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, KON-6 sigma Scale for aggression, Holms-Rahe Scale (H-R for stress events and Questionnaire for risk behaviour: alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of physical activity. Group differences were assessed by t-test and chi-square test, p<0.05, regression analysis for assessing initial variables, a predictive value for six month rehospitalization. Results. After acute coronary event, the anxiety and depression levels were mild and aggression was low in E1 and mild in E2. Stress event score was significantly higher in E2 (H-R=115.18 than in E1 (H-R=72.20, p<0.05. After 6 months, the results were the same except for a significantly lower stress event score in E1 (H-R=49.48, and in E2 (H-R=91.65, but still significantly higher than in E1. Coronary parameters were reduced, smokers' rate was increased in E1. Alcohol consumption, hypercholesterolaemia and hereditary tendency were predictive for six- month rehospitalization. Conclusion. After acute cardiac event, hospitalized coronary patients had a mild anxiety, depression and aggression level as well as after six months. The infarct patients had experienced more stress life events in the previous year than the angina patients. Risk health behaviour did not change in the following six months, with the

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has become an important modality to evaluate the presence of coronary artery disease. Coronary artery stenosis of intermediate severity remains a therapeutic dilemma. Measurement of fractional flow reserve (FFR) during coronary angiography is the most established...... technique to determine the hemodynamic severity of a coronary artery lesion. The aim of this study was to compare CCTA with FFR....

Background Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is fast-becoming a procedure of choice for elective revascularization in high-risk patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. However, the role of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for patients with acute coronary syndromes requiring emergency revascularization still requires validation. We present our experience to show the feasibility of off-pump coronary artery surgery as an emergency revascularization technique. Methods From April 2001 to September 2003, emergency (operation within 24 hours after hospitalization) coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was performed in 66 patients with a mean age of (66.9±5.4) years (range 49-72 years). They presented acute coronary syndromes with 38 patients on platelet glycoprotein Ⅱb/Ⅲa receptor antagonists. All patients underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery via sternotomy with the intention of complete coronary revascularization.Results An average of 2.9 grafts per patient were performed and the posterior descending artery and marginal branches of the circumflex artery were grafted in 83.3% of the patients. There were 4 events of intraoperative cardiac instability, precipitated by occlusion of right coronary artery or positioning of a cardiomegaly heart, leading to immediate conversion to CPB. The mortality rate was 3% (2/66). Two patients suffered postoperative stroke while three needed hemofiltration for acute renal failure. Post surgery elective coronary angiography (n=46) showed no significant stenosis.Conclusion Emergency off-pump coronary artery surgery with complete revascularization is feasible in patients with acute coronary syndrome with low morbidity and mortality and excellent early results.

The major aim of this review was to ascertain whether effective evidence-based treatments for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are underutilized in women in various geographic areas compared with men. The focus of our review was the relative use of effective treatments in patients with coronary angiographic evidence of obstructive coronary disease, defined as a lumen stenosis >50% of the adjacent non-diseased arterial diameter. We searched MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Database between January 1998 and May 2008. Only a few of the published clinical registries on ACS provide data on treatments dichotomized by confirmed coronary angiographic disease. Consequently, we also accessed individual patient-level data from 3 established ACS registries: the Finnish TACOS (Tampere Acute COronary Syndrome), the British EMMACE 2 (Evaluation of Methods and Management of Acute Coronary Events) and the Argentine PACS-ITALSIA (Prognosis in Acute Coronary Syndromes and the ITALian hospital Sindrome Isquemico Agudo). Despite presenting with higher risk characteristics and having higher in-hospital and 6 months risk of death, women with ACS and obstructive coronary artery disease were apparently treated less aggressively with secondary preventive drugs than were men, being less likely to receive aspirin, beta-blockers and statins at discharge. Overall, coronary revascularization appears to be performed in a similar proportion of women and men - once angiography has been performed and the coronary anatomy is known. However, substantial geographic variation exists in the relative rate of coronary angiography in men and women. In United Kingdom coronary revascularization tends to be done less frequently in women. Our study, therefore, demonstrates a gender bias in the delivery of secondary drug treatments for ACS, even for patients with documented significant coronary disease.

The incidence of patients subjected to emergency coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is decreasing due to improvement of PCI technique and device technology. The aim of our study is to evaluate cases subjected to emergency CABG after complicated PCI to determine incidence, indications and results of surgery and to compare them with other emergency cases which are not related to angioplasty or stenting. From April 1999 to December 2005, 1 200 patients who underwent PCI were analysed. Those patients who developed complications related to PCI and required surgical intervention were included (PCI group N.=31). These patients were compared with other emergency cases not related to PCI (non-PCI group N.=48). The selection of these patients was based on the criteria of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The incidence of PCI complications which necessitated emergency surgical intervention was 2.6%. The main indication was due to unsatisfactory angioplasty with ongoing myocardial ischemia (68%), stent thrombosis (13%), dissection (10%) retained angioplasty wire (6.5%), and perforation (3%). The incidence of cardiogenic shock, ongoing ischemia, acute infarction Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting among patients with PCI complications and those patients not related to PCI is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Although, the percentage of mortality and morbidity was more among PCI patients the difference between both groups was not significant. Surgical backup and collaboration between cardiologist and surgeons is needed to reduce delay in management and patients transfer to obtain the best surgical outcome.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) risk increases with increasing number of risk factors. This study was aimed to assess different coronary risk factors among Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) surgery patients. A total of 700 patients younger than 45 or older than 65 years and underwent CABG in Tabriz Shahid Madani Heart Center since 2003 to 2007 were enrolled. We examined the probable differences of CAD risk factors between male and female groups and age groups. We also assessed the change of risk factors presentation in last 5 years. There was not significant difference between risk factor numbers in 65 years groups, but smoking and dyslipidemia was more prevalent in patients 65 years old. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus was more prevalent in patients > 65 old than < 45 years old; also differences were found between males and females patients, so that dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypertension were more prevalent in women than men. Some risk factors were recognized as acting more on one gender than the other. Also, the majority of patients have one or more risk factors, but different age and gender groups may have different risk factors that suggest the need for exact programming for appropriate prophylactic and therapeutic interventions in all groups.

The optimal timing of coronary intervention in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACSs) is a matter of debate. Conflicting results among published studies partly relate to different risk profiles of the studied populations....

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between intraluminal appearances of coronary plaques and left coronary bifurcation angle and plaque components using coronary CT virtual intravascular endoscopy (VIE. Fifty patients suspected of coronary artery disease undergoing coronary CT angiography were included in the study. The left bifurcation angle in patients with diseased left coronary artery which was measured as 94.3° ± 16.5 is significantly larger than that in patients with normal left coronary artery, which was measured as 76.5° ± 15.9 (P<0.001. Irregular VIE appearances were found in 10 out of 11 patients with mixed plaques in the left anterior descending (LAD and left circumflex (LCx, while, in 29 patients with calcified plaques in the LAD and LCx, irregular VIE appearances were only noticed in 5 patients. Using 80° as a cut-off value to determine coronary artery disease, smooth VIE appearances were found in 95% of patients (18/19 with left bifurcation angle of less than 80°, while irregular VIE appearances were observed in nearly 50% of patients (15/31 with left bifurcation angle of more than 80°. This preliminary study shows that VIE appearances of the coronary lumen are directly related to the types of plaques.

Situs inversus with dextrocardia is rare congenital anomaly. Coronary artery disease in such patients is quite rare. We reported a 52-year-old man with dextrocardia and chronic total occlusion at the proximal right coronary artery just after conus branch and severe stenosis at the proximal left anterior descending artery. He underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting of total occluded right coronary artery and simultaneously stenting of the proximal left anterior descending artery.

Multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has emerged as a rapidly developing method for non-invasive imaging of the heart. An understanding of ECG synchronization, contrast material administration, patient preparation and image post-processing is needed to optimize image quality. The basic technical principles and essentials of these technical basics are described here. Correctly applied cardiac MDCT allows imaging of the coronary arteries including coronary anatomy and stenosis detection. The same is true for evaluation of coronary artery bypass grafts and, to some extent, coronary artery stents. While quantification of total calcified plaque burden has been long established, coronary MDCT allows assessing plaque morphology and constitution. Recent approaches go beyond the coronaries and include evaluation of left ventricular function at rest and myocardial viability. In combination with experimental approaches for assessing aortic valve function and myocardial perfusion imaging, cardiac MDCT offers the potential for a comprehensive examination of the heart using a single breath-hold examination. (orig.)

Myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death are frequently the first manifestation of coronary artery disease. For this reason, screening of asymptomatic coronary atherosclerosis has become an attractive field of research in cardiovascular medicine. Necropsy studies have described histopathological changes associated with the development of acute coronary events. In this regard, thin-cap fibroatheroma has been identified as the main vulnerable coronary plaque feature. Hence, many imaging techniques, such as coronary computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance or positron emission tomography, have tried to detect noninvasively these histomorphological characteristics with different approaches. In this article, we review the role of these diagnostic tools in the detection of vulnerable coronary plaque with particular interest in their advantages and limitations as well as the clinical implications of the derived findings. PMID:27721935

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome. Clinical presentation ranges from chest pain alone to ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death. The treatment of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection is challenging because the disease pathophysiology is unclear, optimal treatment is unknown, and short- and long-term prognostic data are minimal. We report the case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with an acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to a spontaneous dissection of the left anterior descending coronary artery. She was treated conservatively. Cardiac tamponade developed 16 hours after presentation. Repeat coronary angiography revealed extension of the dissection. Medical therapy was continued after the hemopericardium was aspirated. The patient remained asymptomatic 3 years after hospital discharge. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in association with cardiac tamponade that was treated conservatively and had a successful outcome.

... What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease? A common symptom of coronary heart disease (CHD) ... and Symptoms of Heart Problems Related to Coronary Heart Disease Some people who have CHD have no signs ...

Background: Three to five percent of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have normal coronary arteries on invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The aim of this study was to assess the presence and characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques on computed tomography coronary angiography

Coronary fistulas are vascular anomalies which in rare cases can cause hemodynamic problems with indication for intervention. We report about a 47-year-old man with a large coronary fistula arising from both, the left and right coronary artery. To our knowledge this is the first case described with

markdownabstractAbstract Acute coronary artery occlusion occurs in 2 to 11% of the patients who undergo coronary angioplasty and is the major cause of in-hospital mortality and morbidity associated with coronary angioplasty. This procedural complication is usually caused by an occlusive

Full Text Available Sam J Lehman, Derek P ChewDepartment of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, AustraliaAbstract: Bivalirudin is a member of the direct thrombin inhibitor group of anticoagulants. It has been evaluated as an alternative to unfractionated and low-molecular-weight heparins in the settings of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI and acute coronary syndrome (ACS. Results of clinical trials to date suggest bivalirudin is a viable alternative to the use of a heparin combined with a glycoprotein (GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor in these settings. Thrombin has a central role in coagulation and platelet activation in ACS and during PCI. Its direct inhibition is an attractive target for therapy in these settings. Bivalirudin is a 20 amino acid polypeptide hirudin analog. It displays bivalent and reversible binding to the thrombin molecule, inhibiting its action. Direct inhibition of thrombin with bivalirudin has theoretical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic advantages over the indirect anticoagulants. A reduction in rates of bleeding without loss of anti-thrombotic efficacy has been a consistent finding across multiple clinical trials. There may be economic benefits to the use of bivalirudin if it permits a lower rate of use of the GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors. This article reviews the pharmacology of bivalirudin and clinical trial evidence to date. There are now data from multiple clinical trials and meta-analyses in the setting of ACS and PCI. Early results from the acute catheterization and urgent intervention strategy (ACUITY trial are discussed. Keywords: bivalirudin, direct thrombin inhibitor, acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention

Twelve cases of myocardial infarction as related to strenuous exertion are presented with the pathological findings in several of these cases. Three cases with coronary arteriography are also presented. The pathology of coronary arteriosclerotic plaques and the vulnerability to acute injury is reviewed and discussed. It is concluded that strenuous exertion can cause acute injury to coronary artery plaques due to the unusual stressful whip-like action to which coronary arteries are subject. These injuries may initiate as cracks in the plaques or subintimal hemorrhages and proceed to coronary occlusion and ultimate myocardial infarction. With this concept in mind we use the term of "crack in the plaque" (Black's Crack in the Plaque) to account for the sudden appearance of clinical coronary artery disease appearing during or shortly after exertion, or other stressful situations in patients without previous existing evidence of clinical coronary artery disease. This could also account for exacerbation of symptoms or death occurring after exertion in previously quiescent asymptomatic known coronary artery disease subjects. This concept may explain some of the puzzling features of coronary disease.

The coronary artery calcium score plays an Important role In cardiovascular risk stratification, showing a significant association with the medium- or long-term occurrence of major cardiovascular events. Here, we discuss the following: protocols for the acquisition and quantification of the coronary artery calcium score by multidetector computed tomography; the role of the coronary artery calcium score in coronary risk stratification and its comparison with other clinical scores; its indications, interpretation, and prognosis in asymptomatic patients; and its use in patients who are symptomatic or have diabetes. PMID:28670030

Coronary air embolism remains a recognised complication of coronary catheterisation despite a strong emphasis on prevention. Current treatment consists of supportive measures with 100% oxygen and analgesia. Recent case reports describe the use of mechanical treatments aimed at dispersing or removing the air embolus with variable success. A case of coronary air embolism causing an acute coronary syndrome is described that was definitively treated with an aspiration system. The effectiveness of the aspiration system in the distal section of an obtuse marginal artery indicates that such dedicated aspiration systems may prove useful in the standard treatment of air embolism.

Full Text Available Coronary artery anomalies are congenital changes in their origin, course, and/or structure. Most of them are discovered as incidental findings during coronary angiographic studies or at autopsies. We present herein the case of a 70-year-old man with symptomatic severe aortic valvar stenosis whose preoperative coronary angiogram revealed a so far unreported coronary anomaly circulation pattern.

The precise diagnosis of the presence of significant left main coronary artery disease has profound prognostic and therapeutic implications. Coronary cineangiography has shown to be imprecise and inaccurate to determine the percent stenosis of the left main coronary artery. We report a case with significant left main coronary artery disease in whom coronary cineangiography was in discordance with the clinical data and intravascular ultrasonography. Based on the intravascular ultrasound findings, the patient underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Therefore, the intravascular ultrasonography may be the procedure of choice for assessing indeterminant left main coronary artery lesions by coronary angiography.

Kang, Eun Ju; Lee, Ki Nam [Dept. of Radiology, Dong A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jong Min [Dept. of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Coronary fistula is a rare coronary abnormality through which blood drains into the cardiac chamber, great vessel or other vessels. In addition, giant aneurysm arising from coronary fistula is rare pathologic manifestation. Herein, we presented a rare case of multiple giant coronary artery aneurysms arising from coronary to pulmonary artery fistula in a 79-year-old woman presenting with sudden loss of consciousness. The aneurysms were detected using thoracic computed tomography angiography and consequently confirmed by invasive coronary angiography.

Full Text Available Coronary artery perforation is an uncommon complication in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. However, pericardial tamponade following coronary artery perforation may be lethal, and prompt treatment is crucial in managing such patients. Balloon occlusion and the reversal of anticoagulant activity are the common methods used to prevent cardiac tamponade by reducing the amount of bleeding. Herein, we discuss the pros and cons of currently used occlusion types for coronary perforation. Optimal balloon occlusion methods should reduce the amount of bleeding and ameliorate subsequent myocardial ischemia injury, even during cardiac surgery.

Coronary-cameral fistulas are rare cardiovascular anomalies. A giant coronary artery aneurysm associated with a coronary-cameral fistula is a very rare condition, with an estimated prevalence of 0.02%. We report the case of middle-aged woman who presented with a huge extracardiac aneurysmal mass and a coronary-cameral fistula from a right coronary artery branch. It was successfully repaired by ligation and excision plus marsupialization of the aneurysm. We believe this is the first such a case reported in literature.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome occurring predominantly in young women without any cardiovascular risk factors, especially during the peripartum and early postpartum period. Here, we report a case of a 28-year-old pregnant woman who was found to have an isolated distal SCAD of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Coronary angiography was complicated by extensive LAD and circumflex arteries dissection, requiring an emergency coronary artery bypass grafting associated with ventricular assist device implantation and underlying the extreme fragility of coronary arteries in pregnant women.

Congenital coronary artery fistula is an uncommon heart anomaly involving the coronary arteries. We report here a case of a 4-year-old boy who had a coronary fistula from the right coronary artery to the right ventricle, with a coronary aneurysm. He was asymptomatic, but the calculated ratio of pulmonary blood flow to systemic blood flow was shown to be high [pulmonary flow (Qp)/systemic flow(Qs)=1.78]. The coronary angiography showed that the right coronary artery was dilated beginning at the ostium and had an aneurysm at the acute marginal portion. A large spherical aneurysm approximately 20 mm in diameter was found to have been connected with coronary fistula opening into the right ventricle. Surgical repair by closure of the fistula under direct vision, partial resection and suture closure of the aneurysm was performed. Plication of the proximal portion of the right coronary artery was not performed, and the diffusely dilated artery was left untouched. After this operation, he recovered well under anticoagulant treatment with warfarin and aspirin. Postoperative angiography was performed 17 months after the surgery to evaluate morphological changes in the coronary artery. The angiography confirmed the closure of the fistula and the regression of coronary artery dilatation.

Objective This coronary artery spasm review aimed to explore the most possible pathogenic trigger mechanism of vulnerable plaque rupture.Data sources Data used in this coronary artery spasm review were mainly from Medline and Pubmed in English.Study selection These reports from major review on coronary artery spasm.and these research included coronary artery conception,pathogenesis of spasm,mechanisms of plaque rupture,epidemiological evidence,clinical manifestation and the relationship between coronary artery spasm and vulnerable plaque rupture.Results Coronary artery spasm is somehow related to the presence of atherosclerotic intima disease in the coronary artery.However,chronic low-grade inflammation causes coronary vessel smooth muscle cell hypersensitivity,which can directely cause coronary artery spasm.Myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death may be initiated by a sudden intense localized contraction of coronary artery smooth muscle.Conclusion Coronary artery spasm may be one trigger that can initiate and exacerbate vulnerable plaque rupture.

Single coronary artery arising from aortic root, is a rare congenital anomaly. A 30-year-old male presented with acute myocardial infarction (MI) complaining of chest pain and raised troponin levels. Emergency angiography showed no coronary lesions but both left and right coronary arteries arising from single ostium. Patient was operated electively and perioperative findings confirmed the diagnosis of single coronary artery, as left coronary artery after taking origin from right sinus of valsalva runs through the septum, before dividing into left anterior descending and circumflex branches. The single coronary ostium opened with a slit like incision over the course of left main coronary, making the size of ostium three to four times bigger than the native one. In addition left internal mammary artery was harvested and grafted to the left anterior descending branch distally. Patient made successful recovery. Four months follow up dobutamine stress echo showed no inducible ischemia.

Full Text Available Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy or the postpartum period is rare. We report a case of a 39-year-old postpartum woman who developed non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction due to severe diffuse coronary vasospasm. To our knowledge, this is the first case of angiographically evidenced coronary vasospasm, in a postpartum woman, with resistance to intracoronary nitroglycerin.

Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy or the postpartum period is rare. We report a case of a 39-year-old postpartum woman who developed non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction due to severe diffuse coronary vasospasm. To our knowledge, this is the first case of angiographically evidenced coronary vasospasm, in a postpartum woman, with resistance to intracoronary nitroglycerin.

Coronary angiography is the current gold standard for the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and therefore the prevalence of percutaneous coronary procedures such as angiography and angioplasty is high. The occurrence of cerebral complications after coronary angiography and coronary angioplasty is low and it mainly includes transient ischemic attack and stroke. The prevalence of transient cortical blindness after X-ray contrast media is low and it is usually seen after cerebral angiography. Until now only a few cases of transient cortical blindness have been described after coronary artery angiography. Regarding the spread of coronary angiography worldwide and in Poland this complication is uniquely rare. A 32-year-old man with multiple extrasystolic ventricular arrhythmia suggesting Brugada syndrome diagnosis according to morphology of the left bundle branch block and with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction was admitted to the First Department of Cardiology and Hypertension, Medical College of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Coronary angiography was performed in order to exclude ischemic etiology of the observed abnormalities. No arteriosclerotic lesions were found in coronary arteries. Transient cortical blindness was observed directly after angiography which may have been caused by the neurotoxic effect of the used X-ray contrast medium. In ophthalmologic and neurologic examination as well as in the cerebral computed tomography scan no pathologies were found. Visual impairment disappeared totally within several hours.

textabstractAtherosclerosis is the main cause of coronary heart disease, which is today the leading cause of death worldwide and will continue to be the first in the world in 2030. In the formation of atherosclerotic coronary lesions, a critical primary step is the accumulation and oxidation of low-

..., led Fermi to ask the famous question: "Where is everybody?" Fermi was confronted with a paradox that involved probability, scale, and evidence. Coronary artery disease (CAD) presents a similar challenge. The pathophysiological importance of nonobstructive CAD is well known, as two-thirds of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) originate...

@@ Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the number one killer of men and women in the United States of America despite major advances in interventional technologies for the treatment of coronary artery disease. CHD is rapidly becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing nations as well and is now recognized as the leading cause of death worldwide.

This thesis describes multiple imaging modalities to examine coronary artery bypass grafts, and the research which was performed to further develop noninvasive imaging techniques to detect stenoses in native coronary arteries and bypass grafts in patients who experienced recurrent chest pain after

This thesis describes multiple imaging modalities to examine coronary artery bypass grafts, and the research which was performed to further develop noninvasive imaging techniques to detect stenoses in native coronary arteries and bypass grafts in patients who experienced recurrent chest pain after c

We present a case of a 66-year-old lady with chest pain, without dynamic 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) changes and normal serial troponin. Coronary angiography revealed a linear filing defect in the first obtuse marginal branch of the circumflex artery indicating coronary artery dissection, with superadded thrombus. She was managed medically with dual antiplatelet therapy and has responded well. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of cardiac chest pain, which can be missed without coronary angiography. Unlike most other lesions in patients with unstable symptoms, where coronary intervention with stenting is recommended, patients with SCAD generally fare better with conservative measures than with intervention, unless there is hemodynamic instability. PMID:28197295

Coronary artery disease (CAD) has been increasing during the last decade and is the one of major causes of death. The management of patients with coronary artery disease has evolved considerably. There are two main strategies in the management of CAD, complementary, not competitive, each other; the pharmacologic therapy to prevent and treat CAD and the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to restore coronary flow. Antiplatelet drugs and cholesterol lowering drugs have central roles in pharmacotherapy. Drug eluting stent (DES) bring about revolutional changes in PCL in the management of patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI), there has been a debate on the better strategy for the restoration of coronary flow. Thrombolytic therapy is widely available and easy to administer, whereas primary PCI is less available and more complex, but more complete. Recently published evidences in the pharmacologic therapy including antiplatelet and statin, and PCI including DES and reperfusion therapy in patients with ST segment elevation AMI were reviewed.

Full Text Available Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death in developed countries. Major recent studies such as SYNTAX and FREEDOM have confirmed that coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG remains the gold standard treatment in terms of survival and freedom from myocardial infarction and the need for repeat revascularization. The current review explores the use of new technologies and future directions in coronary artery surgery, through 1 stressing the importance of multiple arterial conduits and especially the use of bilateral mammary artery; 2 discussing the advantages and disadvantages of off-pump coronary artery bypass; 3 presenting additional techniques, e.g. minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting, hybrid, and robotic-assisted CABG; and, finally, 4 debating a novel external stenting technique for saphenous vein grafts.

It is unclear if anomalous coronary arteries are at higher risk for atherosclerosis. The link between anomalous coronary artery and early coronary artery disease has been suggested. The aim of this study is to determine whether the coronary artery anomaly predisposes to development of significant coronary disease. Using retrospective chart review, patients with documented anomalous coronary arteries recognized during coronary angiography between years 2000 to 2007 were analyzed. Prevalence of significant atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (defined as more than 50% luminal narrowing) was compared between normal and anomalous coronaries. A total of 147 patients with anomalous coronary arteries were found. Right coronary artery was the most common anomalous artery 128 of 148 (86.5%) in our dataset. There was no difference in the occurrence of atherosclerosis between anomalous and nonanomalous coronaries. Significant atherosclerosis was present in 59 of the 148 anomalous coronary arteries (37.8%), and 112 of the 293 nonanomalous coronary arteries (38.2%, p = 0.9). On the basis of our study, there is no evidence that anomalous coronary arteries predispose to significant coronary artery disease in comparison to normal coronary arteries.

Woven coronary artery is an extremely rare and clearly undefined coronary malformation. Up to now, very few cases have been reported. In this anomaly, epicardial coronary artery are branched into thin channels at any segment of the coronary artery and then these longitudinal twisted thin channels merge again as the main coronary lumen. This anomaly is regarded as a benign condition since there is completely normal blood flow after the distal segment of the abnormal coronary artery. In this case report, we present a 48-year-old male patient with a woven coronary artery anomaly in the circumflex artery and who had been followed up for 5 years.

Full Text Available Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva, even though rare, has been documented well in literature. However the association of this anomaly with coronary fistulae has been rarely reported so far. We report the case of a 76-year-old female who presented to us with exertional dyspnoea. General physical and cardiovascular examination revealed no significant abnormalities. All laboratory investigations were normal. Chest radiograph was normal. Electrocardiogram showed left bundle branch block. Echocardiogram revealed a globally hypokinetic left ventricle with reduced ejection fraction. Coronary angiogram showed anomalous origin of left coronary artery from right coronary sinus along with a small coronary-cameral fistula connecting obtuse marginal artery to left ventricle, there was no significant stenosis of epicardial coronaries. This case report, documents the rare association of an anomalous coronary origin of left coronary artery with coronary fistula.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome and sudden cardiac death. It should be suspected in every healthy young woman without cardiac risk factors, especially during the peripartum or postpartum periods. It is important to check for a history of drug abuse, collagen vascular disease or blunt trauma of the chest. Coronary angiography is essential for diagnosis and early management. We wonder whether thrombolysis might aggravate coronary dissection. All types of treatment (medical therapy, percutaneous intervention or surgery) improve the prognosis without affecting survival times if used appropriately according to the clinical stability and the angiographic features of the involved coronary arteries. Prompt recognition and targeted treatment improve outcomes. We report a case of SCAD in a young female free of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, who presented six hours after thrombolysis for ST elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography showed a dissection of the left anterior descending and immediate branch. She had successful coronary artery bypass grafting, with complete healing of left anterior descending dissection.

The currently best available spatial and temporal resolution for retrospectively ECG gated coronary multi-detector-row CT angiography is 0.4 mm and 165 ms, respectively. These acquisition parameters are already rather close to cardiac catheter. Studies so far compared non-invasive coronary CT and convention angiography for the detection of coronary artery stenoses. The most promising result reported by all authors was the high negative predictive value of the CTA. It now needs to be determined if CTA is a reliable tool to rule out coronary artery stenoses in a patient cohort with low likelihood of CAD, such as those with atypical chest pain or ambiguous stress test. CTA may furthermore establish as a rapid and widely available tool to detect vulnerable plaques or intracoronary thrombus in patients with acute coronary syndrome and unstable angina. In patients with chronic stable angina, tools that determine myocardial ischemia under stress such as SPECT and MRI are probably better suited to determine the relevance of coronary artery stenoses. In this particular cohort, by displaying the extent and morphology of coronary atherosclerosis, CTA may help to direct the therapy to either intervention or surgery. (orig.)

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the arteries to the heart (the coronary arteries) become blocked by deposition of plaque, depriving the heart of oxygen-bearing blood. This disease is arguably the most important fatal disease in industrialized countries, causing one-third to one-half of all deaths in persons between the ages of 35 and 64 in the United States. Despite the fact that early detection of CAD allows for successful and cost-effective treatment of the disease, only 20% of CAD cases are diagnosed prior to a heart attack. The development of a definitive, noninvasive test for detection of coronary blockages is one of the holy grails of diagnostic cardiology. One promising approach to detecting coronary blockages noninvasively is based on identifying acoustic signatures generated by turbulent blood flow through partially occluded coronary arteries. In fact, no other approach to the detection of CAD promises to be as inexpensive, simple to perform, and risk free as the acoustic-based approach. Although sounds associated with partially blocked arteries are easy to identify in more superficial vessels such as the carotids, sounds from coronary arteries are very faint and surrounded by noise such as the very loud valve sounds. To detect these very weak signals requires sophisticated signal processing techniques. This review describes the work that has been done in this area since the 1980s and discusses future directions that may fulfill the promise of the acoustic approach to detecting coronary artery disease.

A new approach for implantation of Palmaz Schatz coronary stents is reported. We describe the technique and rationale of coronary stenting with miniaturized angioplasty equipment via the radial artery. This technique is illustrated in three patients. One patient underwent Palmaz Schatz stent implantation for a saphenous vene coronary bypass graft stenosis, the second patient for a restenosis in the anterior descending coronary artery after atherectomy, and the third patient for a second restenosis after balloon angioplasty in the circumflex coronary artery.

Background Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard treatment for revascularisation in patients with left main coronary artery disease, but use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for this indication is increasing. We aimed to compare PCI and CABG for treatment of left main...... coronary artery disease. Methods In this prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial, patients with left main coronary artery disease were enrolled in 36 centres in northern Europe and randomised 1: 1 to treatment with PCI or CABG. Eligible patients had stable angina pectoris, unstable......), a composite of all-cause mortality, non-procedural myocardial infarction, any repeat coronary revascularisation, and stroke. Non-inferiority of PCI to CABG required the lower end of the 95% CI not to exceed a hazard ratio (HR) of 1 . 35 after up to 5 years of follow-up. The intention-to-treat principle...

Introduction: A family history of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) is a well-known risk factor for adverse coronary events with age of onset being inversely related to the degree of heritability. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that asymptomatic first degree relatives, of patients with premature...... CAD, suffer a high burden of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Methods: First degree relatives, aged 30-65 years, of patients with a documented coronary revascularization procedure before the age of 40 years, were invited to participate in the study. Participants were matched by age, sex...... and absence of a family history, with patients referred for coronary CT angiography (CTA) because of atypical angina or non-anginal chest pain. A pooled blinded analysis was performed. The main outcome measure was the number of plaque-affected coronary segments. Results: 88 relatives and 88 symptomatic...

Full Text Available Cardiovascular abnormalities are well-known manifestations of tertiary syphilis infections which although not frequent, are still causes of morbidity and mortality. A less common manifestation of syphilitic aortitis is coronary artery ostial narrowing related to aortic wall thickening. We report a case of a 46-year-old male admitted due to acute anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction submitted to primary percutaneous coronary intervention successfully. Coronary angiography showed a suboccluded ostial lesion of left main coronary artery. VDRL was titrated to 1/512. The patient was discharged with treatment including benzathine penicillin. Previous case reports of acute myocardial infarction in association with syphilitic coronary artery ostial stenosis have been reported, but the fact that the patient was treated by percutaneous coronary intervention is unique in this case.

The term coronary ectasia is reserved to describe a diffuse dilatation of coronary artery segments that have a diameter that exceeds the size of normal adjacent coronary segments by 1.5 times. The occurrence of coronary artery ectasia (CAE) ranges from 3% to 8% in the group of patients undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography. The CAE is associated with traditional risk factors and often co-exists with coronary atherosclerosis, which suggests that ectasia may represent an advanced form of atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, there is a lack of consensus on the clinical implications and management of patients in whom the occurrence of CAE is observed, especially in patients without concomitant obstructive atherosclerosis. Here, we present a rare case of a 62-year-old patient with multiple CAEs and left main trifurcation.

The year 2013 was rich of new developments in cardiology, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in particular. This overview article will focus on contributions in the following areas: training for PCI, appropriateness and indications; access site selection, risk scores, peri-procedural myocardial infarction; trial results and long-term follow-up; PCI for specific patient and lesion subsets, including acute coronary syndrome and ST-segment myocardial infarction; prevention of ischemic and reperfusion injury; stent thrombosis and new coronary stents and scaffolds.

By means of FEM, the physiological blood flow in coronary bypass graft is simulated. The stenosis in coronary artery is involved in the graft model,and the deformation of graft end to allow the surgical suture with a smaller diameter coronary is taken into consideration. The flow pattern, secondary flow and wall shear stress in the vicinity of anastomosis are analyzed. It is shown that a zone of low wall stress and high wall stress gradient exists downstream the toe. The floor opposed to the anastomosis is an area of high wall stress and high wall stress gradient. Both the toe downstream and the anastomosis bottom floor are prone to intimal hyperplasia.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is caused by a critical obstruction of a coronary artery because of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Three specific conditions are included: ST elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. The ST segment on the electrocardiogram is a sensitive and specific marker of myocardial ischemia and infarction; however, ST segment deviation is regional not global, thus the ECG lead must be placed over the affected region of the myocardium. This article describes ACS and infarction and the use of ST segment monitoring to detect these conditions.

A method to make a coronary artery segment of interest appear stationary when viewing a sequence of angiographic images is proposed. The purpose of this method is to facilitate the assessment of lesions caused by coronary artery disease by improving detectability. A description of the stabilization algorithm based on template matching is given. Stabilization was performed on 41 clinical coronary angiograms exhibiting various stenoses and was successful in 39/41 cases. A quantitative analysis of stabilization errors was performed by introducing simulated moving vessels of decreasing contrast into sequences of clinical images.

In order to explain the congenital coronary arteries malformations, the authors review the recent concepts on the coronary artery morphogenesis, based in the findings that in the human embryo, these arteries evolve from three sources: 1) endothelial aortic buds, 2) cavitary cellular groups from pericardial origin and with angiogenic character, which migrate to the cardiac zones where the coronary arteries will be distributed, and 3) the intramyocardial sinusoids. The anatomic and histologic cardiac alterations will be reflected in modifications of the coronary artery pattern. The coronary artery fistulae are formed by the persistence of the sponge structure of the myocardial wall, present in the early ontogenic steps of the cardiac development; such fistulae alter the normal functions of the coronary vascular tree and are capable to cause angina pectoris to the patient through diverse mechanisms: absence of capillarization, steal phenomenon aggravated by the altered coronary arteries properties when aneurysm or vascular channels are developed. The authors suggest a classification of the congenital coronary arteries anomalies: I. Anomalous origin in the sinus of Valsalva (anomalous and ectopic origin), II. Malformations of the coronary branches (in number, distribution and wall anomalies) and III. Anomalous connection of the coronary arteries: fistulae and persistence of the intramyocardial sinusoids isolated or communicated to left and right ventricles. The latter are frequently associated with aortic or pulmonary valve atresia. They do not cause myocardial ischemia and are formed secondary to the intracavitary elevated pressure which maintained the persistence, dilatation and communication of the ventricular chambers with such sinusoids and coronary arteries in the case of pulmonary valve atresia and with coronary veins in the case of aortic valve atresia.

Among patients undergoing coronary procedures, patients with coronary artery bypass grafts represent an important, high risk subgroup. Routine transradial approach may be successfully adopted in these patients to reduce access-site complications. However, transradial cannulation of the grafts may result technically demanding. In this article we discuss the specific technical issues and we present a series of tips and tricks which may facilitate angiography and interventions on both internal mammary and aorto-coronary grafts.

This case report we presented is that the anomalous left main coronary artery (LMCA) originates from the proximal segment of right coronary artery. In order to confirm the origin and course of the anomalous LMCA, a multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) of the heart was performed on a 64-slice machine (Philips 64 Slice, Philips, USA) after 6 months of coronary angiography operation. The results showed that the anomalous LMCA originates from the proximal segment of right coronary artery, lies posteriorly to the aorta before taking acute sharply to go between the aorta and left atrium. It was classified as R-Ⅱ P subtype according to Lipton's classification. It is a rare case in the clinical practice.

Coronary artery anomalies (CAA) are congenital changes in their origin, course, and/or structure. Intercoronary communication (ICC) is a very rare subset with uni- or bidirectional blood flow between two or more coronary arteries. We present the case of a 58-year-old man with an acute coronary syndrome whose coronary angiography incidentally showed a surprising and very rare communication between the right coronary and left circumflex arteries.

Coronary to bronchial artery fistula is a rare vascular anomaly secondary to enlargement of pre-existing vascular anastomosis between the coronary and bronchial arteries. This occurs when there is a constant disturbance of the pressure equilibrium involving either coronary or broncho-pulmonary disorder. Localized bronchiectasis is the most common related condition in patients with a coronary to bronchial artery fistula. Herein, we report on a case of a large left circumflex coronary artery to right bronchial artery fistula associated with bronchiectasis.

The occurrence of an anastomosis between the coronary artery to the systemic artery is rare. However, the probability of hemodynamic changes sufficient to cause clinical symptoms is extremely low. Anastomosis of the coronary to bronchial artery can cause myocardial ischemia due to the decreased flow to the coronary arteries. The authors report a case of coronary to bronchial artery anastomosis presenting as coronary steal syndrome that was treated with transarterial microcoil embolization instead of surgical ligation.

In the past 7 years, 9 emergent or urgent coronary artery bypass operations after failed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) were performed among 947 (PTCA). Since the introduction of coronary perfusion catheter system for the support of coronary perfusion during PTCA we could reduce the number of emergent cases and these patients could be operated on semi-emergently and securely without endangering co-medical staffs in a hurry. It is also unnecessary to be on standby all the time when the PTCA is being undertaken. Two acute myocardial infarction cases died in the early phase of this study (operative mortality 22%) and none after the introduction of coronary perfusion system during PTCA.

Full Text Available Obesity is a common public health problem and obese individuals in particular have a disproportionate incidence of acute coronary events. This study was undertaken to identify coronary artery lesions as well as associated clinical features, risk factors and demographics in patients with a body mass index (BMI >40 kg/m2 without known coronary artery disease (CAD. Morbidly obese subjects were prospectively recruited to undergo coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA using a dual-source computed tomography (CT system. CAD was defined as the presence of any atherosclerotic lesion in any one coronary artery segment. The presence, location, and severity of atherosclerosis were related to patient characteristics. Forty-one patients (28 women, mean age, 50.4±10.0 years, mean BMI, 43.8±4.8 kg/m2 served as the study population. Of these, 25 patients (61% had at least one coronary stenosis. All but 2 patients within the CAD cohort had coronary artery calcium (CAC scores >0, and most plaques identified (75.4% were non-calcified. There was a predilection of calcified and non-calcified atherosclerosis involving the left anterior descending (LAD coronary artery compared with other coronary segments. Univariate predictors of CAD included older age, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. In this preliminary study of young morbidly obese patients, CCTA detected a high prevalence of calcified and non-calcified CAD, although the later predominated.

Abstract The plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) had been proved to be an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Few studies involved the entire arginine methylation dysfunction. This study was designed to investigate whether arginine methylation dysfunction is associated with acute coronary syndrome risk in coronary artery disease population. In total 298 patients undergoing coronary angiography because of chest pain with the diagnosis of stable angina pectoris or acute coronary syndrome from February 2013 to June 2014 were included. Plasma levels of free arginine, citrulline, ornithine, and the methylated form of arginine, ADMA, and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We examined the relationship between arginine metabolism-related amino acids or arginine methylation index (AMI, defined as ratio of [arginine + citrulline + ornithine]/[ADMA + SDMA]) and acute coronary events. We found that plasma ADMA levels were similar in the stable angina pectoris group and the acute coronary syndrome group (P = 0.88); the AMI differed significantly between 2 groups (P angina and acute coronary syndrome patients; AMI might be an independent risk factor of acute coronary events in coronary artery disease population. PMID:28207514

Full Text Available Toshio Kinoshita,1 Shinichiro Fujimoto,1 Yukio Ishikawa,2 Hitomi Yuzawa,1 Shunji Fukunaga,1 Mikihito Toda,3 Kenji Wagatsuma,3 Yoshikiyo Akasaka,2 Toshiharu Ishii,2 Takanori Ikeda11Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, 2Department of Pathology, 3Division of Interventional Cardiology, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Ohta City, Tokyo, JapanAbstract: Behçet’s disease is a multisystemic vascular inflammatory disease, but concurrent cardiac diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, are rare. Several complications may arise after coronary intervention for coronary lesions that interfere with treatment, and the incidence of coronary arterial complications due to invasive therapy remains unclear. Further, the long-term outcomes in patients with Behçet’s disease after stenting for acute myocardial infarction have not been described. The present report describes a 35-year-old Japanese man with Behçet’s disease who developed acute myocardial infarction. A coronary aneurysm developed at the stenting site of the left anterior descending coronary artery, along with stenosis in the left anterior descending segment proximal to the site. Although invasive therapy was considered, medication including immunosuppressants was selected because of the high risk of vascular complications after invasive therapy. The coronary artery disease has remained asymptomatic for the 4 years since the patient started medication. This case underscores the importance of considering the incidence of coronary arterial complications and of conservative treatment when possible.Keywords: Behçet’s disease, myocardial infarction, coronary arterial complications, percutaneous coronary intervention, immunosuppressants

Background Under certain conditions, exertional headaches may reflect coronary ischemia. Case Report A 44-year-old woman developed intermittent exercise-induced headaches with chest tightness over a period of 10 months. Cardiac catheterization followed by acetylcholine provocation demonstrated a right coronary artery spasm with chest tightness, headache, and ischemic effect of continuous electrocardiography changes. The patient's headache disappeared following intra-arterial nitroglycerine injection. Conclusions A coronary angiogram with provocation study revealed variant angina and cardiac cephalalgia, as per the International Classification of Headache Disorders (code 10.6). We report herein a patient with cardiac cephalalgia that manifested as reversible coronary vasospasm following an acetylcholine provocation test. PMID:20607049

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an established treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease. However, problematic situations are occasionally encountered after CABG, such as disease progression in the native coronary artery with graft occlusion, which causes difficulty in revascularization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in the native coronary artery after CABG. Between 2009 and 2012 in our institution, 351 patients underwent CABG, and 768 bypass grafts were anastomosed to non-occluded coronary arteries. Of these, 489 bypass grafts had available early postoperative angiographic results (≤6 months) suitable for assessment in this study. We defined malignant graft failure after CABG to be bypass graft occlusion and de novo complete occlusion of the target native coronary artery proximal to the graft anastomosis site. In the early angiographic results, 17 grafts were occluded (17/489; 3.5 %). Two of the grafts displayed malignant graft failure (a saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery and a saphenous vein graft to the diagonal branch) (2 of 17 occluded grafts, and 2 of 489 studied grafts). Of the patent bypass grafts, 24 involved progression to occlusion in the proximal native coronary artery (19 saphenous vein grafts, 4 left internal thoracic artery grafts, and 1 right internal thoracic artery graft). Malignant graft failure was uncommon during short-term follow-up after CABG. At the same time, disease progression in the proximal native coronary artery from stenosis to occlusion following patent bypass grafting was relatively common, especially for vein grafts.

Genetic factors contribute importantly to the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and in the past decade, there has been major progress in this area. The tools applied include genome-wide association studies encompassing >200,000 individuals complemented by bioinformatic approaches, including...... factors and identify those individuals who will benefit most from statin therapy. Such information also has important applications in clinical medicine and drug discovery by using a Mendelian randomization approach to interrogate the causal nature of many factors found to associate with CAD risk...... have led to a broader understanding of the genetic architecture of CAD and demonstrate that it largely derives from the cumulative effect of multiple common risk alleles individually of small effect size rather than rare variants with large effects on CAD risk. Despite this success, there has been...

Full Text Available Alejandro Saez, Raul MorenoDivision of Interventional Cardiology, University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, SpainAbstract: Bare metal stents enabled a reduction in the risk of early procedural complications and restenosis in comparison with balloon angioplasty alone, but introduced a new and device-specific iatrogenic condition, ie, in-stent restenosis due to increased neointimal hyperplasia. Sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents reduce restenosis and the need for new revascularizations in comparison with bare metal stents, although at the cost of a slight increase in the risk of late stent thrombosis and a need for prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. Everolimus is an analog of sirolimus with an increased solubility. In this review, the currently available evidence for everolimus-eluting stents is revised, including randomized trials against bare metal stents, and head-to-head trials comparing this stent with other drug-eluting stents.Keywords: coronary stents, restenosis, everolimus, review

Full Text Available Introduction: Depression is one of the Common psychological disorders. From the cognitive point of view, the unhealthy attitudes increase the severity of the depression. The aim of this study was to investigate depression and unhealthy attitudes in coronary patients hospitalized at Tabriz Shahid Madani Heart Center. Methods: One hundred twenty eight hospitalized patients having myocardial Infarctions were studied regarding unhealthy attitudes, severity of depression and demographic data. Results: The study showed a significant relation between unhealthy attitudes, BDI (Beck Depression Inventory and severe depression. Moreover, a significant relation existed between gender and depression (P=0.0001. In addition, the level of education increased the intensity of unhealthy attitudes (P=0.0001. Several researches in both outside and inside Iran support the idea. Conclusion: Based on present study and more other investigations, it can be suggested to provide the necessary elements and parameters such as antidepressant medication, psychologists, complementary treatment for coping with negative mood and its unwanted consequences.

Full Text Available Capecitabine, an oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, is approved for early-stage and advanced colorectal cancer and metastatic breast cancer. Cardiotoxicity of 5-FU is well described in the literature. However, cardiac adverse effects of capecitabine are poorly described. We report a case of coronary vasospasm induced by capecitabine. A 41-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer presented with chest pain 3 days after starting capecitabine. The chest pain was relieved by rest and exacerbated by exertion. Her physical examination was unremarkable except for a rapid heart rate of 100 bpm. Electrocardiogram test showed no acute ischemic changes. Troponin tests were negative. CT angiography of the chest was negative for acute pulmonary embolism. An echocardiogram showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 60% without any wall motion abnormalities. The chest pain resolved with aspirin and analgesic use. She was discharged following an inconclusive cardiac workup. Further use of capecitabine was discontinued.

Despite many advances in percutaneous and surgical interventions in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), up to one-third of patients are still either not candidates or receive suboptimal revascularization. Calpains are a class of calcium-activated non-lysosomal cysteine proteases that serve as a proteolytic unit for cellular homeostasis. Uncontrolled activation of calpain has been found to be involved in the pathogenesis of myocardial reperfusion injury, cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial stunning and cardiac ischemia. Inhibition of calpains has been shown to significantly attenuate myocardial stunning and reduced infarct size after ischemia-reperfusion. Calpain inhibition therefore serves as a potential medical therapy for patients suffering from a number of diseases, including CAD.

The objective of this study was to compare frequently used cardiovascular risk scores in predicting the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and 3-vessel disease. In 350 consecutive patients (218 men and 132 women) who underwent coronary angiography, the cardiovascular risk level was determined using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS), the Modified Framingham Risk Score (MFRS), the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) score, and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE). The area under the curve for receiver operating characteristic curves showed that FRS had more predictive value than the other scores for CAD (area under curve, 0.76, P MFRS, PROCAM, and SCORE) may predict the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis.The FRS had better predictive value than the other scores.

textabstractWe performed percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty as an emergency procedure in 60 patients with unstable angina pectoris that was refractory to treatment with maximally tolerated doses of beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, and intravenous nitroglycerin. The initial success

Full Text Available Kawasaki disease (KD is an acute vasculitis syndrome of unknown etiology. It occurs in infants and young children,affecting mainly small and medium-sized arteries, particularly the coronary arteries. Generalized microvasculitis occurs in the first 10 days, and the inflammation persists in the walls of medium and small arteries, especially the coronary arteries, and changes to coronary artery aneurysms.We report the case of a 10-month-old girl referred to our center three months after the onset of disease due to the aneurysmsof the coronary arteries. During the acute phase of her illness, she received 2 gr/kg intravenous gamma globulin; and afterher referral to us, the patient was treated by antiaggregant doses of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA (5 mg/kg and Warfarin (1 mg/daily. At three months’ follow-up, the aneurysms still persisted in the echocardiogram.

An 82-year-old patient developed right heart failure in the days after surgical aortic valve replacement. Coronary CT angiography showed a high-grade stenosis of the mid-right coronary artery. Adjacent suture material seen on noncontrast CT suggested that the lesion was related to surgical closure of the right atrial cannulation site. Invasive angiography confirmed the stenosis, and percutaneous intervention was successfully performed.

Kawasaki disease is an acute systematic angiitis, specifically affecting the coronary arteries in young children. Coronary aneurysms develop in 10 to 15% of patients with Kawasaki disease. The coronary aneurysm frequently changes into coronary stenosis and obstruction. Hitherto, we could observe and access the severity of these coronary lesions with the use of two dimensional echocardiography and selective coronary angiography. Angiography is the most sensitive means available for diagnosing significant coronary lesions and their severity. However, it is insensitive for detecting intraluminal minute and pathologic changes such as intimal thickening, regeneration of endothelium and thrombus. Recent advance in fiberscopie technology, enabled us to observe the inside of coronary artery percutaneously. We tried to use this angioscopic technique for the observation of coronary lesions in eight patients with Kawasaki disease at chronic stage.

Full Text Available Coronary perforation is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We present two different types of coronary intervention, but both ending with coronary perforation. However, these perforations were tackled successfully by covered stents. This article reviews the incidence, causes, presentation, and management of coronary perforation in the present era of aggressive interventional cardiology. Coronary perforations are classified as type I (extraluminal crater, II (myocardial or pericardial blushing, and III (contrast streaming or cavity spilling. Types I and II coronary perforations are caused by stiff or hydrophilic guidewires. Type I has a benign prognosis, whereas type II coronary perforations have the potential to progress to tamponade. Type III coronary perforations are caused by balloons, stents, or other intracoronary devices and commonly lead to cardiac tamponade necessitating pericardial drainage. However, type III perforations can be managed with covered stents without need for surgical intervention.

To assess the effects of residual coronary artery disease (non-revascularized coronary vessels) after coronary artery bypass grafting on symptoms and exercise left ventricular function, we categorized 77 patients into 3 groups according to the extent of residual coronary artery disease: group I (n = 17) had no residual coronary artery disease (residual score = 0); group II (n = 30) had light residual coronary artery disease (score of 1 to 9, mean 4.7); and group III (n = 30) had moderate residual coronary artery disease (score greater than or equal to 10, mean 23). Sixty patients were asymptomatic after coronary artery bypass grafting (14 in group I, 24 in group II, and 22 in group III), but the remaining patients had occasional angina pectoris. The resting left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in group I than in the remaining 2 groups (56 +/- 18% in group I, 47 +/- 19% in group II, and 43 +/- 16% in group III, P less than 0.05). The exercise left ventricular ejection fraction was also significantly higher in group I (61 +/- 16% in group I, 51 +/- 18% in group II and 45 +/- 18% in group III, P less than 0.01). The ejection fraction response to exercise was abnormal in 5 patients in group I, 15 patients in group II, and 19 patients in group III. Thus, coronary artery bypass grafting results in symptomatic improvement, even in patients with residual coronary artery disease. The presence of residual coronary artery disease, however, may be a determinant of exercise left ventricular function in these patients.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coronary cameral fistulas are an uncommon entity, the etiology of which may be congenital or traumatic. They involve abnormal termination of a coronary artery, usually the right coronary, into a cardiac chamber, usually the right ventricle. Case Presentation We describe a case of female patient with severe aortic stenosis and interventricular septal hypertrophy that underwent bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement with concomitant septal myectomy. On subsequent follow-up an abnormal flow traversing the septum into the left ventricle was identified and Doppler interrogation demonstrated a continuous flow, with a predominantly diastolic component, consistent with coronary arterial flow. Conclusion The literature on coronary cameral fistulas is reviewed and the etiology of the diagnostic findings discussed. In our patient, a coronary artery to left ventricle fistula was the most likely explanation secondary to trauma to the septal perforator artery during myectomy. Since the patient was asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis no intervention was recommended and has done well on follow-up.

Coronary blood flow is blood flow to the heart for its own metabolic needs. In the most common form of heart disease there is a disruption in this flow because of obstructive disease in the vessels that carry the flow. The subject of coronary blood flow is therefore associated mostly with the pathophysiology of this disease, rarely with dynamics or physics. Yet, the system responsible for coronary blood flow, namely the "coronary circulation," is a highly sophisticated dynamical system in which the dynamics and physics of the flow are as important as the integrity of the conducting vessels. While an obstruction in the conducting vessels is a fairly obvious and clearly visible cause of disruption in coronary blood flow, any discord in the complex dynamics of the system can cause an equally grave, though less conspicuous, disruption in the flow. This book is devoted specifically to the dynamics and physics of coronary blood flow. While relevance to the clinical and pathophysiological issues is clearly maintaine...

Full Text Available Introduction: In this research the behavior of coronary arteries has been studied with symmetric and asymmetric consecutive stenosis, and grafted vessels. Methods: The incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations were discretized with second-order upwind method. Assumptions such as Newtonian fluid, wall rigidity and steady-flow were used. Results: All the calculations showed the same results with Newtonians and non-Newtonian fluids. It was found that the possibility of stenosis be reduced by increasing the graft angle. However, there exists further stenosis possibility. Among the three graft angles 20, 30 ̊ and 40, the 30 ̊ was found to be the reliable ones. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be deduced that there would be a high risk of further atherosclerosis when the first stenose has the maximum percentage.

textabstractIntracoronary papaverine is used as a means to induce a strong and short-lasting hyperemia in several recently developed methods to measure coronary flow reserve. Changes in stenosis geometry from papaverine would influence the measured coronary flow reserve. Therefore, we investigated

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have developed as effective therapies to treat coronary artery disease. Initial CABG is associated with lower mortality than initial medical management, especially among high- and intermediate-risk patients with coronary artery disease. However, PCI is currently the most frequent initial treatment delivered by interventional cardiologists to treat multivessel coronary artery disease, despite substantial evidence from meta-analyses of randomized trials and registry data favoring CABG. Recent advancements in PCI did not result in detectable improvements in death or myocardial infarction compared with medical therapy, although significant reductions in target lesions or vessel revascularization were identified after implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) rather than a bare-metal stent. The SYNTAX trial compared patients with left main and/or three-vessel coronary artery disease treated with DES or CABG. The results of the trial demonstrated the 1-year inferiority of PCI compared with CABG with respect to major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Nevertheless, patients with coronary artery disease continue to receive more recommendations for PCI and fewer for CABG than are indicated in the guidelines. A multidisciplinary team approach should be the standard of care when recommending interventions for treating complex coronary artery disease among patients for whom CABG is superior in terms of survival and freedom from reintervention.

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of 64-slice CT angiography (CTA) in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Sixty-four-slice coronary CTA was performed in 220 patients [mean age 63 {+-} 11 years, 77 (35%) female] with known or suspected CAD. CTA images were analyzed with regard to the presence and number of coronary lesions. Patients were followed-up for the occurrence of the following clinical endpoints: death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and coronary revascularization. During a mean follow-up of 14 {+-} 4 months, 59 patients (27%) reached at least one of the predefined clinical endpoints. Patients with abnormal coronary arteries on CTA (i.e., presence of coronary plaques) had a 1st-year event rate of 34%, whereas in patients with normal coronary arteries no events occurred (event rate, 0%, p < 0.001). Similarly, obstructive lesions ({>=}50% luminal narrowing) on CTA were associated with a high first-year event rate (59%) compared to patients without stenoses (3%, p < 0.001). The presence of obstructive lesions was a significant independent predictor of an adverse cardiac outcome. Sixty-four-slice CTA predicts cardiac events in patients with known or suspected CAD. Conversely, patients with normal coronary arteries on CTA have an excellent mid-term prognosis. (orig.)

textabstractBACKGROUND. Directional coronary atherectomy is a new technique of coronary revascularization by which atherosclerotic plaque is excised and retrieved from target lesions. With respect to the rate of restenosis and clinical outcomes, it is not known how this procedure compares with ballo

Full Text Available An atherosclerotic aneurysm of the right coronary artery complicated by a recent myocardial infarction was successfully treated with coronary artery stenting, using a device consisting of 2 stents with a layer of expandable polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE placed between them. A follow-up angiograph 5 months after the procedure showed sustained initial results.

Woven coronary artery is relatively rare and can be complicated in both acute and chronic phases. A few case reports have been published until now. Herein we report a case with right woven coronary artery managed with drug-eluted stent implantation without complication.

Woven coronary artery is relatively rare and can be complicated in both acute and chronic phases. A few case reports have been published until now. Herein we report a case with right woven coronary artery managed with drug-eluted stent implantation without complication.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of coronary angiographic(CAG) findings in patients with glucometabolic abnormality and coronary heart disease (CAD).Methods A total of 130 patients with CAD confirmed by CAG were included in this study. The blood pressure, blood glucose

Objectives: Although several studies have recently suggested that lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is an independent predictor of coronary events, only one study has examined the association between Lp-PLA2 and coronary calcification, using young adults. We investigated the associat

Objective To investigate the predictive value of serum total bilirubin (STB) level in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) .Methods A total of 1273 consecutive patients treated with PCI in cardiology department,First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June

Objective The objective of this study was to determine outcomes in pregnant women with pre-existing coronary artery disease (CAD) or following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) including myocardial infarction (MI). Background The physiological changes of pregnancy can contribute to myocardial ischaem

Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) have been put forward as a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndromes. This review entails current insights into the physiology and pathobiology of CECs, including their relationship with circulating en

Background In the last decade percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has become a very popular strategy For the treatment of coronary artery disease, although its efficacy in reducing ischemic events and the subsequent need for revascularization has yet to be proved. Methods We reviewed the

textabstractBACKGROUND. Directional coronary atherectomy is a new technique of coronary revascularization by which atherosclerotic plaque is excised and retrieved from target lesions. With respect to the rate of restenosis and clinical outcomes, it is not known how this procedure compares with

Hazy lesions in coronary angiography can often be a puzzle for the interventional cardiologist. Recanalized chronic coronary thrombus, although rare, is one of the potential diagnoses. Intracoronary imaging with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are tools that can guide to the correct diagnosis. We present the images of a case where IVUS was used to unravel such a lesion.

Compared with X-ray coronary angiography (CAG), magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary vessel wall (MR-CVW) may provide more information about plaque burden and coronary remodelling. We compared MR-CVW with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), the standard of reference for coronary vessel wall imaging, with regard to plaque detection and wall thickness measurements. In this study 17 patients with chest pain, who had been referred for CAG, were included. Patients underwent IVUS and MR-CVW imaging of the right coronary artery (RCA). Subsequently, the coronary vessel wall was analysed for the presence and location of coronary plaques. Fifty-two matching RCA regions of interest were available for comparison. There was good agreement between IVUS and MR-CVW for qualitative assessment of presence of disease, with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 76%. Wall thickness measurements demonstrated a significant difference between mean wall thickness on IVUS and MR-CVW (0.48 vs 1.24 mm, P < 0.001), but great heterogeneity between wall thickness measurements, resulting in a low correlation between IVUS and MR-CVW. MR-CVW has high sensitivity for the detection of coronary vessel wall thickening in the RCA compared with IVUS. However, the use of MRI for accurate absolute wall thickness measurements is not supported when a longitudinal acquisition orientation is used. (orig.)

textabstractAcute coronary occlusion occurs in 4.3% to 8.3% of patients during coronary angioplasty. Its occurrence is difficult to predict in an individual patient. At high risk are patients with unstable angina, intracoronary thrombus, extreme age, long complex lesions, and diffuse disease.

Full Text Available Woven coronary artery is relatively rare and can be complicated in both acute and chronic phases. A few case reports have been published until now. Herein we report a case with right woven coronary artery managed with drug-eluted stent implantation without complication.

Background: CT angiography (CTA) plays an important role in diagnosing coronary arterial disease. Delay time and density of the coronary arteries related with patient-specific factors are essential for getting an optimal CTA image. Purpose: To investigate various factors influencing delay time and coronary arterial density during coronary CTA with dual source CT. Material and Methods: One hundred and sixteen consecutive subjects who underwent cardiac DSCT with retrospective ECG-gating were included. Factors including gender, age, height, weight, transversal cardiac diameter (TCD), transversal thoracic diameter (TTD), heart rate (HR), body surface area (BSA = [weight x height/3600]1/2) and cardiothoracic ratio (CTR = TCD/TTD) were recorded, measured and calculated before administration of contrast media during coronary CT angiography. Delay time was determined as duration from the beginning of the injection to the density in the descending aorta at the level of right main pulmonary artery reaching a threshold of 100 HU. Coronary arterial density was measured at the mid portion of the right coronary artery. Regression analysis and stepwise regression analysis were used to investigate the influence of these factors on delay time and coronary arterial density. Results: Delay time decreased with an increasing HR and it was shorter in women than men. Delay time increased with an increasing TCD. Delay time could be predicted by the formula: DT = 16.651-0.110 x HR + 1.902 x gender + 0.394 x TCD (where DT is abbreviation for delay time, gender is 0 for women and 1 for men). Coronary arterial density decreased with an increasing HR and weight. Coronary arterial density could be predicted by the formula: CAD = 923.42-4.099 x HR-3.293 x weight (CAD = coronary arterial density). There was no relationship between the other factors mentioned above and delay time or coronary arterial density. Conclusion: Delay time is influenced by HR, gender and TCD. Coronary arterial density

Full Text Available Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD is a rare cause of acute myocardial infarction that is more common in younger patients (under age 50 and in women. Although the etiology is not known, some predisposing conditions to SCAD are well known and include Marfan syndrome, pregnancy and peripartum state, drug abuse, and some anatomical abnormalities of the coronary arteries such as aneurysms and severe kinking. We describe a case of SCAD in a young woman who presented with sudden onset of chest pain and was admitted for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome. The coronary angiography showed dissection of the left anterior descending artery. The patient underwent successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and stent placement.

AIMS: To examine the 3.5 year prognosis of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) as assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in real-world clinical practice, overall and within subgroups of patients according to age, sex, and comorbidity. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cohort study i......, and comorbidity. CONCLUSION: Coronary artery disease determined by CCTA in real-world practice predicts the 3.5 year composite risk of late revascularization, myocardial infarction, and all-cause death across different groups of age, sex, or comorbidity burden.......AIMS: To examine the 3.5 year prognosis of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) as assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in real-world clinical practice, overall and within subgroups of patients according to age, sex, and comorbidity. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cohort study...

Coronary angiography was performed 3 to 6 months after myocardial infarction in 107 males below the age of 45 (mean age 39.7+-3.9, range 23-44 years). The coronary angiograms were allocated to various groups according to the presence or absence of obvious atheromatous changes. Metabolic evaluation included determination of cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the major serum lipoproteins. Marked elevation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration was found in patients with angiographic evidence of atheromatosis, in contrast to patients with normal coronary angiograms or with single occlusion and no other abnormalities. Thus, there was a correlation between angiographic appearance of the coronary arteries and disturbances of LDL metabolism. It is proposed that coronary angiography may distinguish between atheromatous and nonatheromatous pathogenesis of myocardial infarction at young age.

Context Despite the widespread use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the appropriateness of these procedures in contemporary practice is unknown. Objective To assess the appropriateness of PCI in the United States. Design, Setting, and Patients Multicenter, prospective study of patients within the National Cardiovascular Data Registry undergoing PCI between July 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010, at 1091 US hospitals. The appropriateness of PCI was adjudicated using the appropriate use criteria for coronary revascularization. Results were stratified by whether the procedure was performed for an acute (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or unstable angina with high-risk features) or nonacute indication. Main Outcome Measures Proportion of acute and nonacute PCIs classified as appropriate, uncertain, or inappropriate; extent of hospital-level variation in inappropriate procedures. Results Of 500 154 PCIs, 355 417 (71.1%) were for acute indications (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 103 245 [20.6%]; non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 105 708 [21.1%]; high-risk unstable angina, 146 464 [29.3%]), and 144 737 (28.9%) for nonacute indications. For acute indications, 350 469 PCIs (98.6%) were classified as appropriate, 1055 (0.3%) as uncertain, and 3893 (1.1%) as inappropriate. For nonacute indications, 72 911 PCIs (50.4%) were classified as appropriate, 54 988 (38.0%) as uncertain, and 16 838 (11.6%) as inappropriate. The majority of inappropriate PCIs for nonacute indications were performed in patients with no angina (53.8%), low-risk ischemia on noninvasive stress testing (71.6%), or suboptimal (≤1 medication) antianginal therapy (95.8%). Furthermore, although variation in the proportion of inappropriate PCI across hospitals was minimal for acute procedures, there was substantial hospital variation for nonacute procedures (median hospital rate for inappropriate PCI, 10

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide with approximately 1 in 30 patients with stable CAD experiencing death or acute myocardial infarction each year. The presence and extent of resultant myocardial ischaemia has been shown to confer an increased risk of adverse outcomes. Whilst, optimal medical therapy (OMT) forms the cornerstone of the management of patients with stable CAD, a significant number of patients present with ischaemia refractory to OMT. Historically coronary angiography alone has been used to determine coronary lesion severity in both stable and acute settings. It is increasingly clear that this approach fails to accurately identify the haemodynamic significance of lesions; especially those that are visually "intermediate" in severity. Revascularisation based upon angiographic appearances alone may not reduce coronary events above OMT. Technological advances have enabled the measurement of physiological indices including the fractional flow reserve, the index of microcirculatory resistance and the coronary flow reserve. The integration of these parameters into the routine management of patients presenting to the cardiac catheterization laboratory with CAD represents a critical adjunctive tool in the optimal management of these patients by identifying patients that would most benefit from revascularisation and importantly also highlighting patients that would not gain benefit and therefore reducing the likelihood of adverse outcomes associated with coronary revascularisation. Furthermore, these techniques are applicable to a broad range of patients including those with left main stem disease, proximal coronary disease, diabetes mellitus, previous percutaneous coronary intervention and with previous coronary artery bypass grafting. This review will discuss current concepts relevant to coronary physiology assessment, its role in the management of both stable and acute patients and future applications.

Full Text Available Introduction. Dislodgement and embolization of the new generation of coronary stents before their deployment are rare but could constitute a very serious complication. Case Outline. We report a case of a stent dislodgement into the left main coronary artery during the primary coronary intervention of infarct related left circumflex artery in a patient with acute myocardial infarction. The dislodged and unexpanded bare-metal stent FlexMaster 3.0x19 mm (Abbot Vascular was stranded and bended in the left main coronary artery (LMCA, probably by the tip of the guiding catheter, but stayed over the guidewire. It was successfully retrieved using a low-profile Ryujin 1.25x15 balloon catheter (Terumo that was passed through the stent, inflated and then pulled back into the guiding catheter. After that, the whole system was withdrawn through the 6 F arterial sheath via the transfemoral approach. After repeated cannulation via the 6F arterial sheath, additional BMW and ATW guidewires were introduced into the posterolateral and obtuse marginal branches and a bare-metal stent Driver (Medtronic Cardiovascular Inc 3.0x18 mm was implanted in the target lesion. Conclusion. Stent dislodgement is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of the percutaneous coronary intervention. This incident occurring in the LMCA in particular during an acute myocardial infarction requires to be urgently resolved. The avoidance of rough manipulation with the guiding catheter and delivery system may help in preventing this kind of complications.

Full Text Available Background: Knowledge of coronary preponderance is important to understand coronary artery diseases, interpret the findings and plan the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It influences the amount and anatomic location of myocardium that is perfused by the left or right coronary circulation. The aim of the present study is to observe the origin of posterior interventricular artery which determines the coronary preponderance or dominance. Materials and Methods: The study was done on 50 formalin fixed adult heart specimens in the Department of Anatomy, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute irrespective of age, sex, socio-economic status, religion and education status. The coronary arteries were examined by gross dissection and analyzed statistically. Results: Right preponderance was seen in 31(62% hearts, left preponderance in 11 (22% hearts and balanced or codominance was seen in 8(16% hearts. Discussion: The coronary artery dominance has an important clinical significance.Most of the studies have reported a higher percentage of right preponderance including the present study. Results of the present study was compared statistically with the study done by Hirak Das et al (n=70. On comparison right dominance was statistically insignificant ( z = 0.91, p = 0.36 , left dominance was statistically insignificant ( z = 0.46 , p = 0.64 ,and balanced pattern was also statistically insignificant ( z = 0.82 , p = 0.41 Conclusion: The present study on coronary dominance would be of use to the cardiologist and interventional radiologist to predefine the abnormalities by invasive and non invasive studies.

The development of the heparin-coated (HC)-stent should be viewed against the backdrop of the early unfavorable results with noncoated stents in the pre-intravascular ultrasound and pre-ticlopidine era. Notwithstanding, results of pilot and randomized trials show a surprisingly low incidence of (sub)acute stent thrombosis under challenging circumstances, such as acute coronary syndromes. Considering the quite low incidence of early complications with noncoated second-generation stents, it may require large trials to prove the clinical efficacy of the heparin- coating against noncoated devices. However, even if the "added value" of the heparin-coating will never be clinically proven, it has helped to enhance the penetration of stent therapy in interventional cardiology. Unlike the situation in 1992, very few cardiologists will now disagree with the statement that stents contribute to the state-of-the-art treatment of patients with angina pectoris or acute myocardial infarction. A preliminary comparison of available trials also suggests that the heparin-coated Palmaz-Schatz stent (Cordis Corp., Waterloo, Belgium) is as effective as the noncoated stent plus abciximab treatment.

Conclusion: Diabetic retinopathy is a good predictor of coronary artery disease that exceeds the conventional risk factors. Diabetics with retinopathy would benefit from early coronary angiography and diabetic retinocoronary clinics are warranted.

Background - Coronary calcification detected by electron beam tomography may improve cardiovascular risk prediction. The technique is particularly promising in the elderly because the predictive power of cardiovascular risk factors weakens with age. We investigated the prognostic value of coronary c

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are localized dilatations exceeding the diameter of adjacent normal coronary segments. These conditions, even rare, still represent an important risk factor for the patient life.

...) to detect obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). The ability of CTA to exclude obstructive CAD in patients of different pre-test probabilities and in presence of coronary calcification remains uncertain. For the CORE-64...

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a major role in collateral vessel development. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) that is an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthesis may impair the effective coronary collateral vessel development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma ADMA level and coronary collateral vessel development. The patients with a greater than or equal to 95% obstruction in at least one epicardial coronary artery were included in the study. Degree of coronary collateral development was determined according to Rentrop method. Patients with grade 2-3 collateral development were regarded as good collateral group and formed group I. The patients with grade 0-1 collateral development were regarded as poor collateral group and were included in group II. Group III that had been formed as a control group included the patients with a normal coronary angiogram. We compared the plasma ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine, L-arginine/ADMA ratio among three groups. Seventy-four patients have been included in the study. Patients with good collateral development had lower plasma ADMA level in comparison with patients with poor collateral development (0.41+/-0.25 micromol/l vs. 0.70+/-0.23 micromol/l, P=0.001) and had similar plasma ADMA levels with the patients who have normal coronary arteries. When we compared L-arginine/ADMA ratio between good and poor collateral groups, we found that the patients with higher L-arginine/ADMA ratio have significantly better collateral development (270.8+/-168.0 vs. 120.9+/-92.1, P<0.001). In the analyses comparing Rentrop score with ADMA level and L-arginine/ADMA ratio, there were significant correlations (r=-0.444, P=0.008 and r=0.553, P=0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, ADMA level (odds ratio, 0.009; 95% confidence interval, 0.000-0.466, P=0.020) and L-arginine/ADMA ratio (odds ratio, 1.010; 95% confidence interval, 1.001-1.020, P=0.032) were independent predictors of collateral development. Increased

Background Guidelines for triaging patients for cardiac catheterization recommend a risk assessment and noninvasive testing. We determined patterns of noninvasive testing and the diagnostic yield of catheterization among patients with suspected coronary artery disease in a contemporary national sample. Methods From January 2004 through April 2008, at 663 hospitals in the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry, we identified patients without known coronary artery disease who were undergoing elective catheterization. The patients’ demographic characteristics, risk factors, and symptoms and the results of noninvasive testing were correlated with the presence of obstructive coronary artery disease, which was defined as stenosis of 50% or more of the diameter of the left main coronary artery or stenosis of 70% or more of the diameter of a major epicardial vessel. Results A total of 398,978 patients were included in the study. The median age was 61 years; 52.7% of the patients were men, 26.0% had diabetes, and 69.6% had hypertension. Noninvasive testing was performed in 83.9% of the patients. At catheterization, 149,739 patients (37.6%) had obstructive coronary artery disease. No coronary artery disease (defined as <20% stenosis in all vessels) was reported in 39.2% of the patients. Independent predictors of obstructive coronary artery disease included male sex (odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.64 to 2.76), older age (odds ratio per 5-year increment, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.30), presence of insulin-dependent diabetes (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% CI, 2.07 to 2.21), and presence of dyslipidemia (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.57 to 1.67). Patients with a positive result on a noninvasive test were moderately more likely to have obstructive coronary artery disease than those who did not undergo any testing (41.0% vs. 35.0%; P<0.001; adjusted odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.37). Conclusions In this study, slightly more than one

Full Text Available Anomalous origin of coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a rare anomaly that most frequently involves the left coronary artery and very rarely the right coronary artery. These lesions can be missed on echocardiography unless carefully looked for. We describe a case of isolated anomalous origin of right coronary artery from pulmonary artery diagnosed on echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography (CT angiography.

Clinical efficacy of newly developed Holmium YAG laser coronary angioplasty (HLCA) was assessed for 30 patients with angina. There were 12 near left main trunk (LMT) lesions and 4 aorto- ostial lesions. Adjunctive balloon angioplasty was performed for 25 of 30 lesions. Delivered energy ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 watts/pulse and the total exposure time ranged from 6 to 55 seconds. External diameter of laser catheter was 1.5 mm for 13 lesions, 1.4 mm for 17 lesions, and 1.7 mm for 5 lesions. Laser success, defined as 20% reduction of stenotic ratio, was obtained in 21 of 30 (70%) and overall procedural success rate was 93%. There were 3 cases with acute coronary occlusions relieved by adjunctive balloon angioplasty and one coronary perforation without manifestation of cardiac tamponade. There were no large coronary dissection which involved more than 5 mm of the coronary artery. Follow up coronary angiography after 3 months showed restenosis in 14 of 27 patients (52%). Percent stenosis after lasering (56%) was similar to that at 3 months after (62%). HLCA is acutely effective treatment for lesions near LMT, because of low incidence of large coronary dissection. However, angiographical restenosis rate is high at 3 months after HLCA. This may be attributed to the relatively large residual stenosis after the procedure and vessel injury caused by shock wave.

To assess the performance of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) technique for evaluation of coronary artery stents on coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Twenty-two patients with coronary stent implantation who underwent CCTA were retrospectively enrolled for comparison of image quality between filtered back projection (FBP), adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and MBIR. In each data set, image noise was measured as the standard deviation of the measured attenuation units within circular regions of interest in the ascending aorta (AA) and left main coronary artery (LM). To objectively assess the noise and blooming artifacts in coronary stent, we additionally measured the standard deviation of the measured attenuation and intra-luminal stent diameters of total 35 stents with dedicated software. All image noise measured in the AA (all p < 0.001), LM (p < 0.001, p = 0.001) and coronary stent (all p < 0.001) were significantly lower with MBIR in comparison to those with FBP or ASIR. Intraluminal stent diameter was significantly higher with MBIR, as compared with ASIR or FBP (p < 0.001, p = 0.001). MBIR can reduce image noise and blooming artifact from the stent, leading to better in-stent assessment in patients with coronary artery stent.

Coronary artery ectasia(CAE)often represents a coronary angiography finding casually detected or following the occurrence of an acute coronary syndrome.The pathogenetic role of cocaine abuse in the genesis of CAE is still little known and very few data are available in literature.We describe a case of a 31-year-old male cocaine user admitted to our department for typical acute chest pain.Coronary angiography showed diffuse coronary ectasia with slow flows and without hemodynamically significant stenosis.An increasing of matrix metalloproteinases values and a reduction of their tissue inhibitors was showed both during hospitalization and at one month after discharge.This case report emphasizes the close relationship between cocaine abuse,CAE and acute coronary syndromes in patients without hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis.As reported by Satran et al,cocaine abuse should be considered an important risk factor for CAE and these patients appear to be at increased risk of angina and acute myocardial infarct.Further studies that can strengthen this hypothesis would be useful to deepen and better analyze this interesting association.

Background:It is still a challenge for the cardiac surgeons to achieve adequate revascularization for diffused coronary artery disease (CAD).Coronary endarterectomy (CE) offers an alternative choice of coronary artery reconstruction and revascularization.In this study,short-term result of CE combined with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was discussed in the treatment for the diffused CAD.Methods:From January 2012 to April 2014,221 cases of CABG were performed by the same surgeon in our unit.Among these cases,38 cases of CE + CABG were performed,which was about 17.2％ (38/221) of the cohort.All these patients were divided into two groups:CE + CABG group (Group A) and CABG alone group (Group B).All clinical data were compared between the two groups,and postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality were analyzed.The categorical and continuous variables were analyzed by Chi-square test and Student's t-test respectively.Results:Diabetes mellitus,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,and peripheral vascular disease were more common in group A.In this cohort,a total of 50 vessels were endarterectomized.Among them,CE was performed on left anterior descending artery in 11 cases,on right coronary artery in 29 cases,on diagonal artery in 3 cases,on intermediate artery in 2 cases,on obtuse marginal artery in 5 cases.There was no hospital mortality in both groups.The intro-aortic balloon pump was required in 3 cases in Group A (3/38),which was more often than that in Group B (3/183).At the time of follow-up,coronary computed tomography angiogram showed all the grafts with CE were patent (50/50).There is no cardio-related mortality in both groups.All these patients were free from coronary re-intervention.Conclusions:Coronary endarterectomy + CABG can offer satisfactory result for patients with diffused CAD in a short-term after the operation.

In this report the authors present a case with right coronary ostium agenesis with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from an ectasic circumflex artery, which, according to the literature review, they consider to be a unique case.

Magnetic resonance imaging of coronary arteries will visualize, besides the arteries, the myocardium, blood in the cavities and cardiac veins. This will hamper the application of projectional visualization techniques such as those used in conventional coronary angiography. Volume rendering, a

Full Text Available Objective: To illustrate the utility of CT coronary angiography in the assessment of patients with anomalous coronary arteries. Methods: A 65-year-old woman who presented with a clinical history of unstable angina was investigated with both computerised tomography and invasive coronary angiography. Results: Coronary angiography demonstrated aberrant coronary arteries all arising from separate ostia from the right coronary cusp. Computerised tomography coronary angiography was required to confirm the course of the aberrant coronary arteries in relation to other cardiovascular structures. Conclusions: This case illustrates the important role of computerised tomography coronary angiography and that early use might avoid the need for invasive coronary angiography.

textabstractIn 1959 Sones developed selective coronary cineangiography. To date, this technique has remained the only means available for the visualization of the coronary arterial system with such image contrast and resolution, that the presence and severity of coronary stenosis can be

Full Text Available Aim: Coronary artery disease (CAD is one of the most frequent causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Coronary angiography is the gold standard for the anatomical diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis. Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphy (MPS is a non-invasive imaging modality used for the diagnosis of CAD. In this study, we aimed to compare the findings of MPS and coronary angiogram. Material and Method: Eighty-one patients (37 males, 44 females; mean age 55 ± 10.95 years with angina and detected perfusion defects on MPS were included in this study. All of the patients underwent coronary angiogram. A narrowing %u2265 50% was considered pathological on the coronary angiography. Results: Findings of the coronary angiogram and MPS were compared and found consistent in 51 (63% patients. A coronary narrowing < 50% was detected by coronary angiogram in 4 (5% of the remaining patients. Coronary angiogram was found to be normal in the remaining 26 patients (32% and these patients were evaluated as cardiac syndrome X (CSX known as microvascular angina (MA. Discussion: The findings showed that MPS is superior to coronary angiogram in the early diagnosis of myocardial perfusion disorders at the microvascular level. Therefore, we concluded that MPS should be the primary diagnostic tool to begin treatment before an anatomically large narrowing occurs in the coronaries.

The myocardium assures the supply of oxygen to the body. The provision of oxygen to the myocardium by the coronary arteries is dependent on two key parameters: the coronary blood flow and the ability to extract oxygen from the arterial blood. Coronary artery disease is almost always the consequence of atherosclerosis and can lead to myocardial infarction.

Full Text Available There is an increasing need for percutaneous revascularization procedures of coronary Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO, because many patients with severe coronary artery disease have limited options for revascularization. Although the success rate of percutaneous revascularization of CTOs was unsatisfactory from the 1990s to the 2000s, recent technological advances in interventional strategies have improved the success rate to 85%. Detailed histological assessment of human autopsy studies of CTO has contributed significantly to the refinement in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI techniques and device development. We have recently reported the pathological findings and characteristics of CTOs that occur in different clinical scenarios. In this review, we discuss the pathology of CTOs to facilitate greater understanding of revascularization strategies for CTOs.

We retrospectively studied 36 cases of myocardial Infarction (MI) with normal coronary arteries, which had been obtained from a total of 538 patients with MI admitted to our Hospital in the last 3 years. All patients had coronary angiogram and left ventriculogram. The following data was reviewed: age, sex, coronary risk factors, clinical picture, short and long term follow up. The angiography findings were correlated. The average age of the patients was 42 years, 75% were male and 25% female. The 36 cases represent 7% of the total MI. Cigarette smoking was the only important risk factor. MI was the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease in 94% of the cases. The ejection fraction was normal in 94%; 27.6% presented some complication during the acute event. In the long term follow; up to 88% of the patients are asymptomatic. The physiopathologic mechanisms are analyzed.

Transient cortical blindness is rarely encountered after angiography of native coronary arteries or bypass grafts. This paper reports a case of transient cortical blindness that occurred 72 h after coronary angiography in a 56-year old patient. This was the patient's fourth exposure to contrast medium. Neurological examination demonstrated cortical blindness and the absence of any focal neurological deficit. A non-contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan of the brain revealed bilateral contrast enhancement in the occipital lobes and no evidence of cerebral haemorrhage, and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed no pathology. Sight returned spontaneously within 4 days and his vision gradually improved. A search of the current literature for reported cases of transient cortical blindness suggested that this is a rarely encountered complication of coronary angiography.

The success of a primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) in the setting of ST elevation myocardial infarction depends on the functional and structural integrity of coronary microcirculation. Coronary microvascular dysfunction and obstruction (CMVO) occurs in up to half of patients submitted to apparently successful primary PCI and is associated to a much worse outcome. The current review summarizes the complex mechanisms responsible for CMVO, including pre-existing coronary microvascular dysfunction, and highlights the current limitations in the assessment of microvascular function. More importantly, at the light of the substantial failure of trials hitherto published on the treatment of CMVO, this review proposes a novel integrated therapeutic approach, which should overcome the limitations of previous studies.

The technique of obtaining an epicardial electrocardiogram trace by connecting the guidewire during coronary angioplasty to an electrocardiogram lead has been used since 1985. The intracoronary electrocardiogram appears to be more sensitive than the surface electrocardiogram in detecting transient ischemia, particularly in the territory of the left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary arteries. Importantly, recent studies have shown the intracoronary electrocardiogram to be particularly useful in demonstrating pre- and postconditioning during interventional procedures, predicting periprocedural myocardial damage, and in the determination of regional viability in the catheterization laboratory. Barriers to the use of the intracoronary electrocardiogram in the clinical setting include the lack of standardized methods for acquiring and analyzing the intracoronary electrocardiogram, and the lack of commercially available continuous intracoronary monitoring systems to permit analysis while performing coronary interventions. Facilitating these relatively simple technical developments may permit optimal integration of the intracoronary electrocardiogram into the catheterization laboratory.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to study the effect of iterative reconstruction (IR) software on quantitative plaque measurements in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). METHODS: Thirty patients with a three clinical risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) had one CCTA...... performed. Images were reconstructed using FBP, 30% and 60% adaptive statistical IR (ASIR). Coronary plaque analysis was performed as per patient and per vessel (LM, LAD, CX and RCA) measurements. Lumen and vessel volumes and plaque burden measurements were based on automatic detected contours in each...

The indications for Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) have been refined in modern interventional practice. With the expanding role for optical coherence tomography (OCT) providing high-resolution intra-coronary imaging, this article examines the appearance of the coronary lumen after ELCA. Each indication for ELCA is discussed and illustrated with a clinical case, followed by detailed analysis of the OCT imaging pre and post ELCA. The aim of the article is to provide information to interventional cardiologists to facilitate decision making during PCI, when ELCA has been used as part of the interventional strategy.

in patients with high likelihood of coronary artery disease and could, in theory, be used to triage high risk patients. As many obstacles remain, including logistical and safety issues, our study does not support the use of CCTA as an additional diagnostic test before ICA in an all-comer NSTEMI population.......%) coronary artery diameter stenosis with a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of 99%, 81%, 96% and 95%, respectively. CCTA was used to triage patients into guideline defined treatment groups of "no or medical treatment", "referral to percutaneous coronary intervention...

Full Text Available Dual left anterior descending (LAD artery is an infrequent coronary anomaly classified into six types. Short LAD arising from left main coronary artery (LMCA and long LAD sourcing from proximal right coronary artery comprise Type IV dual LAD. We reported anomalous origin of circumflex artery (Cx with reverse Type IV LAD including short LAD arising from right coronary sinus and long LAD originated form LMCA.

Although randomized clinical trials have compared the short-term results of coronary revascularization with on-pump vs. off-pump, the long-term survival effect of off-pump coronary surgery has not been analyzed. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term survival of patients with coronary surgery with off-pump technique. All patients that underwent coronary revascularization from November 1996 to March 2015 were included (n = 4687). We analyzed the long-term survival and the incidence of cardiac events between patients who received off-pump coronary revascularization (n = 3402) against those revascularized with on-pump technique (n = 1285). The primary endpoint was defined as death from any cause. To reduce potential biases, risk-adjusted analysis was performed (propensity score). In-hospital mortality and during follow-up (10 years) for both groups were analyzed. The overall hospital mortality was 3.1%. A statistically significant difference between groups in favor of off-pump surgery was observed (2.3% vs. 5.2%, p < 0.0001). In the survival analysis, off-pump surgery proved to have similar long-term survival as on-pump surgery (off-pump vs. on-pump: 77.9% ± 1.2% vs. 80.2% ± 1.3%, p log rank = 0.361); even in the adjusted survival analysis (84.2% ± 2.9% vs. 80.3% ± 2.4%, p = 0.169). In conclusion, off-pump coronary surgery was associated with lower in-hospital mortality; and it was not associated with increased long-term survival compared with on-pump surgery.

textabstractAims: We performed a meta-analysis of randomised trials comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis (ULMCA). Methods and results: Pubmed and other

We implanted a Cypher Select™ coronary stent and two months later a Nevo™ sirolimus-eluting coronary stent in another vessel. At a prescheduled angiographic follow-up, coronary aneurysms were seen in the two stented segments, 6 and 8 months after stent implantation, respectively. Six months later...

@@atients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)are a clinical continuum-with patients presenting with unstable angina on one end, with patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at the other end of the spectrum. In between are those with non- ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) The pathophysiology is similar in these patients, namely isruption and fissuring of an atheromatous plaque,leading to enhanced platelet activation and local vasohyperactivity, with reduced flow and thrombus formation. While medical experts have reached consensus in the management of STEMI patients (thrombolysis nd / or percutaneous coronary intervention), optimalmanagement of patients with UA/NSTEMI remainsunclear.

OBJECTIVES: More than 3.5 million invasive coronary angiographies (ICA) are performed in Europe annually. Approximately 2 million of these invasive procedures might be reduced by noninvasive tests because no coronary intervention is performed. Computed tomography (CT) is the most accurate noninva...... angiography (ICA) is the reference standard for detection of CAD. • Noninvasive computed tomography angiography excludes CAD with high sensitivity. • CT may effectively reduce the approximately 2 million negative ICAs in Europe. • DISCHARGE addresses this hypothesis in patients with low...

Coronary heart disease research along genetic lines is difficult. Studies in molecular genetics of apolipoprotein and receptor variability appear most promising in the near future. However, unexpected discoveries and methodology may turn up that may completely change the field. Exclusive concentration on lipid research therefore should be avoided. It is likely that most advances will come from carefully designed studies that ask specific questions. Such research design is appropriate not only for laboratory studies but also for clinical and epidemiological investigations. The collaboration of clinicians, biochemists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and statisticians is likely to lead to better understanding of coronary heart disease.

Full Text Available A woman aged 98 years entered the tertiary hospital service with a picture of acute myocardial infarction of the extensive anterior wall, which began 4 hours earlier. Due to the large myocardial risk area suggested by the electrocardiogram, the patient was taken to the hemodynamics laboratory for the performance of emergency coronary arteriography, which revealed occlusion in the proximal third of the anterior descending artery. Primary angioplasty followed by stent grafting was successfully performed. The patient had a satisfactory evolution (Killip I and was discharged from the hospital on the seventh postinfarction day. We discuss here aspects of thrombolysis and coronary percutaneous interventions in the aged.

Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) still experience high rates of recurrent coronary events, particularly, early in their presentation. Statins yield substantial cardiovascular benefits, but the optimal timing of their administration, before or after percutaneous coronary intervention

Kounis syndrome is an acute coronary syndrome in the context of a hypersensitivity reaction. The main pathophysiological mechanism appears to be coronary vasospasm. We report the case of a patient with a history of allergy to quinolones, who was given ciprofloxacin before an elective surgical procedure and during drug administration developed symptoms and electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. The drug was suspended and coronary angiography excluded epicardial coronary disease. Two hours after withdrawal of the drug the symptoms and ST elevation had resolved completely.

Although the incidence of coronary artery aneurysms has diminished in patients with Kawasaki disease, coronary artery involvement is still regarded as a major complication of the disease, significantly affecting morbidity and mortality. Recent technical advances in coronary CT angiography (CTA) and MR angiography (MRA) have led to the possibility of using these two imaging methods as minimally invasive alternatives to the more invasive diagnostic catheter angiography in evaluating coronary artery abnormalities, such as aneurysm, stenosis, and occlusion. In this article, we describe imaging techniques and findings of coronary CTA and MRA in Kawasaki disease. (orig.)

Anabolic steroids are frequently abused, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, despite the known unfavorable influence on lipid profiles. We report on a young bodybuilder who presented with ventricular tachycardia as the first manifestation of severe underlying coronary heart disease. Coronary angiogram revealed severe stenotic lesions in the right coronary artery and the left descending coronary artery, and hypokinetic regions corresponded to posterolateral and anterior myocardial infarctions. This young patient had a history without any coronary risk factors, but with a 2-year abuse of the anabolic steroid stanazolol. No report published so far has shown possible atherogenic consequences of long-term abuse of stanazolol.

Full Text Available Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an extremely rare cause of acute coronary syndrome. Although it predominantly affects young women in the peripartum period, it can also occur in men. The left coronary artery is most frequently involved. The usual presentation is ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Although several treatment modalities have been proposed, the optimal treatment options still remain to be established. This current case report focuses on a 40- year-old male presented with acute coronary syndrome and subsequently was found to have coronary artery dissection.

of coronary heart disease. METHODS: We analyzed the original data from 10 prospective cohort studies from the United States and Europe to estimate the association between dietary fiber intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. RESULTS: Over 6 to 10 years of follow-up, 5249 incident total coronary cases......BACKGROUND: Few epidemiologic studies of dietary fiber intake and risk of coronary heart disease have compared fiber types (cereal, fruit, and vegetable) or included sex-specific results. The purpose of this study was to conduct a pooled analysis of dietary fiber and its subtypes and risk...... associated with risk of coronary heart disease....

Congenital anomalies of coronary arteries are a group of diseases that are infrequently found. Their prevalence has been reported from 0.6% to 1.3%. Most clinical manifestations are benign and asymptomatic. Congenital absence of the left circumflex artery is a very rare congenital anomaly of the coronary circulation, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 51-year-old man who underwent a cardiac catheterisation. Coronary angiography showed a left anterior descending coronary artery with no circumflex and a dominant right coronary artery. PMID:25535241

Serial 27 patients with angina attack were enrolled in this trial. Plain computed tomography (CT) of the chest and coronary angiogram were performed simultaneously. Calcification of main branch of coronary arteies (left main trunk, left anterior desending artery, left circumflex artery, right coronary artery) was judged visually. More than 50% stenosis was defined significant by quantitative coronary angiogram. Correlation between calcified lesions detected by CT and angiographic stenoses showed high specificity and negative predictive value was also high (sensitity=58%, specificity=80%, positive predictive value=27%, negative predictive value=94%, p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between patients with calcification of corornary artery and angiographic stenosis. The present study showed the low probability of significant stenosis without calcification and the high probability with multiple calcified lesions. (author)

Full Text Available Coroner artery fistula which is rare and congenital or acquired arise from whole coroner artery drainage all of cardiac chamber and great artery. Although coroner artery fistula is uncommon, it can cause significant mortality and morbidity rates. The article is presented which coroner artery disease and coroner-pulmonary artery fistula was accomplishment committed. Sixty three year-old male patient admitted to the hospital with chest pain. Non-ST myocardial infarction was diagnosed in the examinations. After coroner angiography, it was found coronary artery disease in addition between LAD proximal portion and main pulmonary artery fistula. Fistula repair and coronary bypass were performed successfully under cardiopulmonary bypass. Without hemodynamic problem in intensive care and service follow-up, the patient was discharged from the hospital in the seventh postoperative day. We think that surgical treatment of coronary fistulas in patients with coronary artery lesion is done at the earliest time would enable improvement in mortality and morbidity rates.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare and often fatal condition of pregnancy. The long-term morbidity is unknown, but a small cohort of patients develop severe ventricular dysfunction as a consequence. We describe a 37-week gestation parturient who presented with cardiogenic shock secondary to spontaneous left main coronary artery dissection. Despite rapid diagnosis, stabilisation with an intra-aortic balloon pump and prompt transfer to a tertiary centre for emergency caesarean delivery and coronary artery bypass grafting, the patient developed a severe postoperative dilated ischaemic cardiomyopathy. There is little information about the long-term outcomes and the specific anaesthesia management of combined emergency caesarean delivery and cardiac surgery in pregnancy for spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Therefore, we outline our multidisciplinary management of this critically ill pregnant woman.

Background: Coronary artery calcification which is determined quantitatively by coronary calcium scoring has been known as a sign of coronary stenosis and thus future cardiac events; hence it has been noticed on spotlight of researchers in recent years. Developing different method for early and optimal detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) is really essential as CAD are the first cause of death in population. Objectives: To evaluate predictive value of vessel specific coronary artery calcium (CAC) score in predicting obstructive coronary artery disease. Patients and Methods: In this diagnostic test study we evaluated patients with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and CAC score which had been referred to two referral radiology center in Tehran, Iran and finally we selected 2525 patients in a single and sequential pattern to create a diagnostic study. The whole-heart CAC scores and vessel specific CAC scores were calculated individually for the 4 major epicardial coronary arteries in 2 distinct group; group A ( patients with previous history of CABG) and group B (patients without history of CABG). For evaluation of obstruction tree cut off points were described: 0 > ; at least 1 segment with any kind of stenosis, ≥ 50; at least 1 segment with stenosis ≥ 50, ≥ 70; at least 1 segment with stenosis ≥ 70. Results: Mean of coronary calcium scores in terms of each coronary artery vessel increase by increasing coronary stenosis grade in group B; LAD, RCA, LCX respectively have mean CAC score 6.06, 6.21 and 5.04 in normal patients and 221.6, 226.7 and 106.6 in patients with complete stenosis. As expected these findings don't work for group A. Also By increasing calcium score cutoff in all four vessels sensitivity decreased and specificity increased but steal LAD had higher sensitivity than other vessels and LM had higher specificity. Thus using calcium score method is useful for ruling out stenosis in LAD while calcium score of LM can predict

Full Text Available Background: Coronary flow reserve (CFR is defined as a maximal(hyperemic to resting ratio of coronary blood flow. It is a physiologicparameter of coronary circulation and depends on the patency of the epicardialcoronary arteries and integrity of the microvascular circulation.CFR measurement has many clinical applications including functional assessmentof intermediate stenosis, detection of critical stenosis monitoring of coronaryflow in the post angioplasty period, assessment of post infarct blood flow andassessment of coronary graft patency. The aim of this study was to measure CFRin the coronary sinus through the transthoracic echocardiographic approach, inpatients who were candidate for coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGbefore and one month after operation.Patients and Methods: The present study included 19 patients (meanage=56±9.1 including 15 males and 4 females, admitted for CABG. All patientshad a sinus rhythm, normal wall thickness, normal RV systolic pressure, andtricuspid valvular regurgitation equal or less than grade 2. The antegrade phaseof coronary flow in the coronary sinus moving into the right atrium was analyzedin two phases (systolic and diastolic. Each wave was determined considering thepeak velocity and velocity time integral (VTI. The volumetric blood flow in thecoronary sinus calculated at the baseline and then in hyperemic phase was usedfor determination of CFR both before and after CABG.Results: There was a significant increase in the diameter of the coronarysinus after CABG (9.4±1.2mm compared with that of before CABG values (8.6±1.05mm. Also there was a trend of increasing the diameter in the hyperemicphase before and after CABG. The absolute increase in mean coronary sinusdiameter was 0.5 mm before and 1.5 mm after CABG. Coronary flow reserve (CFRwas significantly higher after surgery, despite a significant increase insystolic velocity ratio (hyperemic/baseline after CABG. This is also true forsystolic

Anomalous origin of the coronary artery from the contralateral coronary sinus is a rare coronary anomaly associated with sudden death. The inter-arterial course is most closely associated with sudden death, but it has been suggested that the presence of an intramural segment of a right anomalous coronary is associated with more symptoms and therefore may be an important criterion for intervention in these patients. To demonstrate that MR angiography can accurately determine the presence or absence of an intramural segment in an anomalous coronary artery. All studies of children who underwent MR angiography for the evaluation of an anomalous coronary artery were retrospectively reviewed by two pediatric radiologists in consensus. Criteria for an intramural anomalous coronary artery were the presence of a small or slit-like ostium and the relative smaller size of the proximal intramural portion of the coronary artery in relation to the more distal epicardial coronary artery. The anomalous coronary artery was classified as not intramural if these two findings were absent. These findings were correlated with operative reports confirming the presence or absence of an intramural segment. Twelve patients (86%) met MR angiography criteria for the presence of an intramural course. Only 2 patients (14%) met MR angiography criteria for a non-intramural course. When correlating with intraoperative findings, MR angiography was successful in distinguishing between intramural and non-intramural anomalous coronary arteries in all cases (P = 0.01). MR angiography may be able to reliably identify the intramural segment of an anomalous coronary artery in older children using the imaging criteria of a small or slit-like ostium and relative decrease in size of the proximal portion of the anomalous coronary artery compared to the distal portion of the anomalous coronary artery. Determining the presence of the intramural segment may help with surgical planning and may be an important

Objectives To summarize our preliminary experience on off-pump coronary endarterectomy and bypass grafting in patients with diffuse coronary artery disease. Methods Over a 3-year period, 53 patients (41 male) with diffuse coronary artery disease underwent off-pump coronary endarterectomy and bypass grafting at our institution.Patients' age ranged from 55 to 79 years. Prior to surgery, 70% of patients were in CCS angina class 2 (n=5) or 3 (n=32), and nearly half of them (26/53) had history of myocardial infarction. Most patients (n=50) had triple vessel lesions, with left main stem involvement in 9. Their left ventricular ejection fraction ranged from 26% to 65% (mean 52%). At the end of operation, a flow-meter was routinely applied to measure the perfusion flow of each postendarterectomy graft. Results In total, 70 endarterectomies were performed in 53 patients, including 38 in left anterior descending artery (LAD), 8 in circumflex artery and 24 in right coronary artery. Four operations were emergency or urgent in nature. Five patients received on-lay venous patch after endarterectomy in LAD, followed by left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafting on the patch. The graft conduits included 53 LIMAs and 2 radial arteries,and saphenous veins in others. Mean number of grafts per patient was 3.75. The overall index of completeness of revascularization reached 1.03±0.07. There was no death in this group of patients during their post-operative hospital stay (mean duration = 9 days).Intra-operatively, 63 (90%) out of the 70 grafts after coronary endarterectomy showed satisfactory flow. Two patients had perioperative myocardial infarctions but neither experienced significant hemodynamic deteriations. Conclusions Off-pump coronary endarterectomy with bypass grafting is technically feasible and can be performed safely in patients with diffuse coronary artery disease. This strategy may help to improve the completeness of myocardial revascularization.

BACKGROUND: While patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease share similar risk factor profiles, data on whether IS can be considered a "CAD equivalent" are limited. We aimed to determine whether ischemic stroke is an independent predictor of CAD by using cardiac...... increase odds of having coronary artery plaque (odds ratio [OR] 4.9, P4 segments of plaque than 0-4 segments as compared to patients without stroke (OR 18.3, P...

Coronary perforation (CP) is a life-threatening complication that can occur during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Little is known, however, about the incidence and clinical outcome of CP. We sought to investigate the occurrence of CP and its determinants and risk profile in a large-scale, prospective registry. From 2005 to 2008, unselected patients (n = 42,068) from 175 centers in 33 countries who underwent a PCI procedure were prospectively enrolled in the PCI registry of the Euro Heart Survey program. For the present analysis, patients experiencing CP during PCI (n = 124, 0.3%) were compared with those who underwent PCI without CP. Patients with CP were older, more often women, had more severe coronary disease, and underwent more complex types of coronary intervention. Independent factors associated with CP were the use of rotablation, intravascular ultrasound-guided PCI, bypass PCI, a totally occluded vessel, a type C lesion, peripheral arterial disease, and body mass index <25. More than 10% of the patients developed cardiac tamponade. In a small minority (3.3%), emergency bypass surgery had to be performed. The inhospital death rate was markedly elevated in patients with CP (7.3% vs 1.5%, p <0.001). After adjustment for the EuroHeart score, CP remained a strong predictor of hospital mortality (odds ratio 5.21, 95% confidence interval 2.34 to 11.60). In conclusion, in this real world, all-comers registry, the incidence of CP was low, occurred more often in patients who underwent more complex coronary interventions, and was associated with a fivefold higher hospital mortality.

We aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of noncalcified coronary plaques (NCP) using coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and analyze predictors of significant coronary stenosis by NCP in asymptomatic subjects with low coronary artery calcium score (CACS). The institutional review board approved this retrospective study and all patients gave written, informed consent. The presence of plaque, severity of stenosis, plaque characteristics, and CACS were assessed in 7,515 asymptomatic subjects. We evaluated the prevalence and severity of NCP in subjects having low CACS (707 subjects; men with CACS from 1 to 50 and women from 1 to 10) in comparison to those having 0 CACS (6,040 subjects) as the reference standard. Conventional risk factors were assessed for predictors of NCP and significant stenosis by NCP. We also investigated the cardiac events of the patients through medical records. Compared to subjects with 0 CACS, those with low CACS showed higher prevalence of NCP (6.9% vs. 31.5%, P NCP (0.8% vs. 7.5%, P NCP included diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (all P NCP were classified into the low to intermediate risk according to Framingham Risk Score. At the median follow up of 42 months (range: 3-60 months), cardiac events were significantly higher in the low CACS group compared to the 0 CACS group (2.6% vs. 0.27%, P NCP were higher as compared to subjects having zero CACS and predictors of significant stenosis by NCP were DM, hypertension and LDL-Cholesterol. Therefore, CCTA may be useful for risk stratification of coronary artery disease as added value over CACS in selected populations with low CACS who have predictors of significant NCP.

Full Text Available Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare condition, usually presenting as an acute coronary syndrome, and is often seen in states associated with high systemic estrogen levels such as pregnancy or oral contraceptive use. While topical hormonal replacement therapy may result in increased estrogen levels similar to those documented with oral contraceptive use, there are no reported cases of spontaneous coronary dissection with topical hormonal replacement therapy. We describe a 53-year-old female who developed two spontaneous coronary dissections while on topical hormonal replacement therapy. The patient had no other risk factors for coronary dissection. After withdrawal from topical hormonal therapy, our patient has done well and has not had recurrent coronary artery dissections over a one-year follow-up period. The potential contributory role of topical hormonal therapy as a cause of spontaneous coronary dissection should be recognized.

Diagnosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is challenging because of its rarity and uncertain etiology.It frequently occurs in young women during pregnancy and in the postpartum period,and rarely found in elder women with no history of cardiovascular disease or coronary risk factors.In this article we report a case of SCAD in a 75-year-old woman without traditional cardiovascular risk factors who presented with syncope and mild chest discomfort.There were no abnormal electrocardiographic changes and no elevated cardiac enzymes were detected.Computed tomography of brain revealed nothing abnormal.Coronary artery disease was suspected.Coronary angiogram revealed dissection in the middle left circumflex artery.The patient underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and was free of symptoms at 6-month follow-up.Our report suggests that emergency coronary angiography is indicated if syncope caused by coronary artery disease is suspected.

Slow coronary flow phenomenon(SCFP) is an angiographic observation characterized by delayed distal vessel opacification in the absence of significant epicardial coronary disease. Only limited studies have been focused on the etiologies, clinical manifestations and treatment of this unique angiographic phenomenon. In our case report, we described an 85-year-old man who came with significant ST segment elevation in leads V1-V4 and V3R-V5R without increase in myocardial enzyme. The patient also developed respiratory failure requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. Coronary angiography revealed only mild atherosclerosis without spasm or thromboembolic occlusion. Slow flow was seen in all coronary arteries, especially in the left anterior descending and right coronary arteries. This case speculated that transmural myocardial ischemia with ST segment elevation might be resulted from slow coronary flow. Transmural myocardial ischemia can occur owing to abnormalities of the coronary microcirculation.

BACKGROUND: The majority of women with angina-like chest pain have no obstructive coronary artery disease when evaluated with coronary angiography. Coronary microvascular dysfunction is a possible explanation and associated with a poor prognosis. This study evaluated the prevalence of coronary.......01), hypertension (P=0.02), current smoking (Pheart rate (P.... CONCLUSION: Impaired CFVR was detected in a substantial proportion, which suggests that coronary microvascular dysfunction plays a role in the development of angina pectoris. CFVR was associated with few cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting that CFVR is an independent parameter in the risk evaluation...

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to examine the levels of the main pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with ischemic heart disease, and the study of the possible impact of persistent herpes virus infection plural lesion coronary arteries. A total of 57 patients (mean age 49,3 ± 3,7 years IHD s hemodynamically significant stenoses of the coronary vessels. Conducted virological examination, including the definition of hypertension HSV1, HSV2, HHV6, SMV, VZV and VEB immunofluorescent and cytokines ІL-1β, ІL-6 ІL-8, TNF by ELISA in serum. Found increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines ІL-1β, ІL-6 and FNPα of IHD patients who had hemodynamically significant stenoses of coronary vessels. ІL-6 level in patients with 2 or more significant coronary artery lesions exceeded the rate of patients with a damaged coronary artery in 1.67 TNFα, ІL-8 - 1.37 ІL-1β and 1.28 times respectively. In patients with plural coronary vascular damage was the most common combination of CMV, VEB and HHV6. Since CMV was detected in more than 60% of patients with injuries of two spacecraft and nearly 76% from three spacecraft, VEB was detected in 72% and 88%, respectively.

Introduction: Although studies have shown high diagnostic accuracy of coronary tomography (CT) in detecting coronary artery disease (CAD), data on the prognostic value of this method in patients with no significant coronary obstruction are limited. Objective: To evaluate the value of CT in predicting adverse events in patients with suspected CAD and no significant coronary obstruction. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 440 patients between January 2008 and July 2013 by MDCT, diagnosed with no significant obstruction or no atherosclerotic coronary obstruction with an average follow-up of 33 months. The outcomes evaluated were: cardiac death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina associated with hospitalization or coronary artery bypass grafting. Results: Of the 440 patients studied, 295 (67%) were men with mean age 55.9 ± 12.0 years. Non-significant obstruction was found in 152 (35%) of the patients and there were 49 (11%) outcomes. In the multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model, the predictors of clinical outcomes were non-significant obstruction on CT (hazard ratio 3.51; 95% CI 1.73 - 7.8; p <0.01), age and hypertension. Non-significant obstruction on CT was associated with adverse clinical outcomes and survival analysis showed a significant difference (log-rank 24.6; p <0.01) in predicting these outcomes. Conclusion: The detection of non-significant atherosclerotic obstruction by CT was associated with the presence of adverse events in patients with suspected CAD, which may prove useful in the risk stratification of these patients. (author)

Full Text Available Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI may be complicated by periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI as manifested by elevated cardiac biomarkers such as creatine kinase (CK-MB or troponin T. The occurrence of PMI has been shown to be associated with worse short- and long-term clinical outcome. However, recent studies suggest that PMI defined by biomarker levels alone is a marker of atherosclerosis burden and procedural complexity but in most cases does not have independent prognostic significance. Diagnostic multi-modality imaging such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, coronary angioscopy, near-infrared spectroscopy, multidetector computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging can be used to closely investigate the atherosclerotic lesion in order to detect morphological markers of unstable and vulnerable plaques in the patients undergoing PCI. With the improvement of technical aspects of multimodality coronary imaging, clinical practice and research are increasingly shifting toward defining the clinical implication of plaque morphology and patients outcomes. There were numerous published data regarding the relationship between pre-PCI lesion subsets on multi-modality imaging and post-PCI biomarker levels. In this review, we discuss the relationship between coronary plaque morphology estimated by invasive or noninvasive coronary imaging and the occurrence of PMI. Furthermore, this review underlies that the value of the multimodality coronary imaging approach will become the gold standard for invasive or noninvasive prediction of PMI in clinical practice.

Coronary artery fistulas are abnormal connections between coronary artery territories and cardiac chambers or major vessels,most of them are congenital.Patients with coronary artery fistula can be asymptomatic or present with different symptoms like angina.Cardiac computed tomography(CT)is one of the best modalities for diagnosis.We present an elderly patient that presented with angina symptoms,non invasive stress test was positive for ischemic heart disease,coronary angiogram could not reveal any obstructive lesions,but an abnormal branch of the left descending coronary artery(LAD),cardiac CT showed fistula that connect left anterior descending coronary artery to left superior pulmonary vein.Our case is extremely rare as most of the reported cases were fistulas between LAD and pulmonary artery,but in our case the fistula between LAD and left superior pulmonary vein.In addition,our patients’symptoms resolved with anti-ischemic medical treatment without any surgical intervention.

textabstractObjectives To measure the incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), defined as first-ever myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina (UA); evaluate recent temporal trends; and determine whether survival after ACS has changed over time and differs by type. Patients and Methods This w

. In acute coronary syndromes there is no evidence of gender differences regarding the benefit of primary PCI for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. However, several trials of unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction indicate that women do not have the similar benefit...

Objectives We sought to determine the circadian, weekly, and seasonal variation of coronary stent thrombosis. Background Other adverse cardiovascular events such as acute myocardial infarction are known to have higher incidences during the early morning hours, Mondays, and winter months. Methods The

textabstractCoronary angioplasty was performed in 53 patients in whom unstable angina had reoccurred after 48 hr and within 30 days after sustained myocardial infarction. Single-vessel disease was present in 64% of the patients and multivessel disease in 36%. The preceding myocardial infarction had

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of coronary artery disease referred for heart surgery has an important psychological component. The purpose of this study was to access the difficulties experienced by individuals awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting and to determine strategies that facilitate adaptation to a new lifestyle, modified by the disease. METHODS: A qualitative, exploratory study involving patients admitted to a university teaching hospital in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting. Semi-structured interviews were performed in accordance with a previously defined script based on the study objective. Each transcription was read in its entirety to verify the representativeness, homogeneity and pertinence of the data obtained (pre-analysis, followed by separation of categories of analysis. RESULTS: The descriptions of this study show that patients admitted to the completion of coronary artery bypass grafting experience a wide range of psychological difficulties, considering that surgery acquires interpretations that vary according to individuals' subjectivity. The patients recognized the benefit of being able to discuss their feelings as a means of diminishing their fear and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Helping patients find resources to confront more positively the daily hospitalization is an important aspect for the health care professionals who assist them. This goal can be achieved through modification of the biomedical model of care for a biopsychosocial view. The investment of time and attention is of fundamental importance and aims to overcome existing deficiencies that interfere with the outcome of patients after cardiac surgery.

Full Text Available Objectives. Robotic surgery enables to perform coronary surgery totally endoscopically. This report describes our experience using the da Vinci system for coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods. Patients requiring single-or-double vessel revascularization were eligible. The procedure was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass on a beating heart. Results. From April 2004 to May 2008, fifty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty-four patients underwent robotic harvesting of the mammary conduit followed by minimal invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB, and twenty-three patients had a totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB grafting. Nine patients (16% were converted to open techniques. The mean total operating time for TECAB was 372±104 minutes and for MIDCAB was 220±69 minutes. Followup was complete for all patients up to one year. There was one hospital death following MIDCAB and two deaths at follow up. Forty-eight patients had an angiogram or CT scan revealing occlusion or anastomotic stenoses (>50% in 6 patients. Overall permeability was 92%. Conclusions. Robotic surgery can be performed with promising results.

Non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS, here defined as unstable angina and non ST-elevation MI) is characterised by episodes of chest pain at rest or with minimal exertion, which increase in frequency or severity, often with dynamic ECG changes.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have suggested a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) at higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain. Whether this association is due to antioxidant vitamins or some other factors remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We studied the relation between the intake...

Accumulated evidence indicates that oxidative modification of LDL plays an important role in the atherogenic process. Therefore, we investigated the relation between coronary atherosclerosis and susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in a case-control study in men between 45 and 80 years of age. Case su

textabstractIntravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has emerged as a highly accurate tool for the serial assessment of the natural history of coronary atherosclerosis and to evaluate the effect of different conventional and emerging drug therapies on the progression of atherosclerosis. The contemporary a

Focuses on the interrelation between stressors and smoking, and on its potential impact on coronary heart disease risk beyond that due to stressors or to smoking alone. Reviews evidence supporting the stress-smoking interrelationship, its relevance to the risk of heart disease, and mechanisms explaining why smokers smoke more during stress and why…

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the primary cause of death in women. Although acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is relatively infrequent in young women, failure to recognize ACS in this population can incur a major risk and registry data show that there is still plenty of room for improvement in this area. Women may suffer from "classical" CAD with development of atherosclerosis with a delay of about 10 years as compared to men, reflecting hormonal protection in women. Besides this classical presentation, angina in women often corresponds to impaired microcirculation, a syndrome known to associate typical angina, demonstrable myocardial ischemia, but no lesions on the coronary angiography. Finally, spasm, spontaneous dissection or coronary thrombosis through endothelial rupture are more frequent in women. The influence of risk factors on the development of CAD is comparable in both women and men. Recent registry studies show that in France, in particular, diabetes, obesity, and smoking are all risk factors that are on the rise in women. In addition, certain other risk factors are more specific to women, namely psycho-social stress. The methods to evaluate risk and detect CAD were mainly developed in male study populations, and these tools thus perform less well in female patients. In case of ACS, women benefit just as much from invasive management, but are at greater risk of iatrogenic complications, particularly with anti-thrombotic therapy or during revascularization procedures.

post-mortem coronary angiography and computerized tomography. We describe how to prepare and inject the contrast medium, and how to establish a CT-protocol that optimizes spatial resolution, low contrast resolution and noise level. Testing of the method on 6 hearts, showed that the lumen...

Stent thrombosis remains among the most feared complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. However, data on its incidence and predictors are sparse and conflicting. We thus aimed to perform a collaborative systematic review on incidence and predictors of stent...

Introduction of new acquisition techniques like Electron Beam Computed Tomography (EBCT) and Multi Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) have enabled the visualization of the coronary artery tree using non-invasive methods. Because of the use of these new techniques, new possibilities have emerged in

Accumulated evidence indicates that oxidative modification of LDL plays an important role in the atherogenic process. Therefore, we investigated the relation between coronary atherosclerosis and susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in a case-control study in men between 45 and 80 years of age. Case

The Thompson retractor, used mainly for abdominal procedures, has been used to retract the heart and facilitate exposure for the performance of inferior wall or posterolateral wall coronary anastomoses. It has been found to be very effective and can replace a second assistant to retract the heart or avoid other cumbersome methods of cardiac retraction.

Full Text Available Fetal heart failure and hydrops fetalis may occur due to systemic arteriovenous fistula because of increased cardiac output. Arteriovenous fistula of the central nervous system, liver, bone or vascular tumors such as sacrococcygeal teratoma were previously reported to be causes of intrauterine heart failure. However, coronary arteriovenous fistula was not reported as a cause of fetal heart failure previously. It is a rare pathology comprising 0.2–0.4% of all congenital heart diseases even during postnatal life. Some may remain asymptomatic for many years and diagnosed by auscultation of a continuous murmur during a routine examination, while a larger fistulous coronary artery opening to a low pressure cardiac chamber may cause ischemia of the affected myocardial region due to steal phenomenon and may present with cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure during childhood. We herein report a neonate with coronary arteriovenous fistula between the left main coronary artery and the right ventricular apex, who presented with hydrops fetalis during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess safety and efficacy of coronary angioplasty with stent implantation in unstable coronary syndromes. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of in-hospital and late evolution of 74 patients with unstable coronary syndromes (unstable angina or infarction without elevation of the ST segment undergoing coronary angioplasty with stent placement. These 74 patients were compared with 31 patients with stable coronary syndromes (stable angina or stable silent ischemia undergoing the same procedure. RESULTS: No death and no need for revascularization of the culprit artery occurred in the in-hospital phase. The incidences of acute non-Q-wave myocardial infarction were 1.4% and 3.2% (p=0.6 in the unstable and stable coronary syndrome groups, respectively. In the late follow-up (11.2±7.5 months, the incidences of these events combined were 5.7% in the unstable coronary syndrome group and 6.9% (p=0.8 in the stable coronary syndrome group. In the multivariate analysis, the only variable with a tendency to significance as an event predictor was diabetes mellitus (p=0.07; OR=5.2; 95% CI=0.9-29.9. CONCLUSION: The in-hospital and late evolutions of patients with unstable coronary syndrome undergoing angioplasty with intracoronary stent implantation are similar to those of the stable coronary syndrome group, suggesting that this procedure is safe and efficacious when performed in unstable coronary syndrome patients.

The paper considers coronary flow in health and coronary flow autoregulation in health and disease. It gives basic methods used to estimate coronary flow reserve in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. The physiological bases for determining fractional flow reserve are presented. Clinical trials investigating the use of fractional flow reserve in patients with coronary heart disease are analyzed.

Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation, a central process in the pathophysiology of coronary heart disease. The importance of coronary artery ectasia (CAE) lies in the fact that in 85% of cases it is accompanied by atherosclerotic coronary disease. The present study was designed to investigate MPV values in CAE patients in comparison with individuals with normal coronary angiograms. MPV was measured in 67 consecutive patients (mean age: 55.3+/-9.7 years) with isolated CAE and 55 control subjects (mean age: 53.6+/-10.1 years). Coronary artery ectasia was defined as without any stenotic lesion, on visual assessment, of the coronary arteries with a luminal dilatation 1.5-fold or more of the adjacent normal coronary segments. Four subgroups were composed according to the extension of CAE in coronary arteries. MPV was significantly higher in patients with CAE than in the control group (9.27+/-1.32 vs. 8.40+/-0.95, p<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in MPV among the subgroups with different CAE severity. It was shown for the first time that patients with CAE have higher MPVs than control subjects with normal coronary angiograms. Hence MPV might be used as a follow-up marker in patients with CAE with or without coronary artery disease.

textabstractAims: Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has become an important tool for non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary dominance can be assessed by CCTA; however, the predictive value of coronary dominance is controversially discussed. The aim of this s

textabstractAims: Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has become an important tool for non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary dominance can be assessed by CCTA; however, the predictive value of coronary dominance is controversially discussed. The aim of this s

From many observations made at autopsy it is apparent that thrombosis in a coronary artery is usually, if not always, associated with rupture of an atheromatous plaque. The sequelae of such rupture include hemorrhage into the plaque with further narrowing of the lumen, formation of an occlusive thrombus or of a non-occlusive thrombus. A developing thrombus in an artery undergoes fragmentation with showering of the distal microcirculation by aggregates of platelets possibly with some admixture of fibrin. In many cases of sudden cardiac death associated with severe atherosclerotic stenosis of the coronary vessels, an occlusive thrombus is not found and the myocardium shows no morphological lesion or else focal patchy early damage in the subendocardial region. One possible mechanism that might explain these findings is microembolism from mural nonobstructing coronary thrombus. Such a mechanism is well established in transient ischemia of the brain and retina related to ulcerated atheroma of the internal carotid artery. Experimental observations indicate that platelet aggregates in the myocardial circulation cause arrhythmias, sudden death, vasculitis, and myocardial ischemic damage. Induction of an occlusive coronary artery thrombus is associated with development of an infarct involving the full thickness of the myocardium. A nonocclusive thrombus is associated with either no myocardial damage or focal subendocardial ischemic injury. It is possible that further aggregation of platelets may facilitate the extension of infarction subsequent to an occlusive event, although there is little evidence on this point. A number of clinical studies show increased platelet reactivity to agents causing aggregation, such as norepinephrine or collagen, in subjects experiencing thromboembolic episodes. It seems unlikely, however, that in vitro tests of platelet function can identify or predict clinical arterial thrombotic disease, although studies of platelet survival and turnover

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of statins and hormone therapy on submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow in postmenopausal women without a history of coronary artery disease. Hormone therapy or statin therapy in early postmenopausal women without coronary artery disease has been shown to enhance arterial endothelial function; we hypothesized that these agents would improve submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow. Sixty-four postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 65 years without documented coronary artery disease, were randomized in a double-blind, crossover fashion to receive 8 weeks of hormone therapy versus placebo, with or without 80 mg/day of atorvastatin. Before receipt of any therapy and after each treatment period, each woman underwent measures of coronary artery blood flow at rest and stress. The combination of hormone therapy and atorvastatin increased submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow (P = 0.04). In the subgroups of women compliant with treatment, resting coronary artery blood flow increased in those receiving hormone therapy (P = 0.03) or statin therapy (P = 0.02). In postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 years without documented coronary artery disease, resting and submaximal exercise-induced coronary artery blood flow improves after receipt of high-dose atorvastatin and conjugated estrogens therapy.

The authors describe the morphogenesis and functional alterations of the coronary arterial net in the ectopic coronary arteries: a) with origin in the aorta or its branches and b) with origin in the pulmonary artery. The coronary arteries are developed from: 1) endothelial sprouts localized in the great arteries walls at the level of the sigmoidal values, 2) right and left subepicardial vascular network and 3) the intramyocardial sinusoids. Most of the ectopic coronary arteries result from alterations in the connection between these three embryonic elements. The deviation of one of the subepicardial vascular network in a wrong way (in direction of pulmonary artery or the opposite Valsalva sinus) will stimulate the development of endothelial sprouts which will connect such network originating abnormal connections and anomalous origin of the coronary arteries. The origin of both coronary arteries from the pulmonary artery is in compatible with life. Myocardial ischemia is absent in patients with type I (infant) or type II (adult) anomalous origin of one coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, only in the transitional phase between both types (I and II) there is myocardial ischemia previous to the formation of the collateral coronary circulation. The ectopic origin of the coronary artery from the aortic Valsalva sinus have very little hemodynamic repercussion in the patient. Although there are cases with postexercise sudden dead. These anomalies associated to atherosclerotic coronary stenosis have an impact on the evolution and prognosis of ischemic heart disease.

Objective To compare graft patency in off-pump and conventional coronary artery bypass grafting by using the transit time flow meter in the treatment of triple vessel coronary artery disease. Methods Between June 2000 and April 2001, 60 patients with triple vessel coronary artery disease underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. They were divided into two groups: off-pump and conventional coronary artery bypass. All completed grafts were tested intraoperatively using Transit Time Flow Measurement (TTFM). Preoperative and postoperative variables of the two groups were also compared. Results There were no significant differences in sex, age, weight, acute or remote myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes and type of bypass grafts between the two groups. The number of bypass grafts and the assisted respiratory time of the off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) group were significantly less than those of the conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CCABG) group. The flow and pulsatile index (PI) of the left anterior descending artery bypass grafts and the right coronary artery bypass grafts were not significantly different between the OPCAB and CCABG groups. The flow of OM in the CCABG group with the multiple anastomosis site of sequential grafts was higher than that in the OPCAB group. Diffused narrow coronary artery bypass grafts in both groups had less flow.Conclusion No signficant differences in graft patency were observed in patients with triple vessel coronary artery disease who had undergone OPCAB or CCABG.

Fibrin network structure has been correlated with coronary disease. Fibrinogen gamma and alpha (FGG and FGA) gene haplotypes (chromosome 4q28) may be associated with fibrin network structure, and thereby with rigidity of the fibrin clot and sensitivity of the fibrin clot to the fibrinolytic system. Through these mechanisms they may influence risk of cardiovascular disease. We set out to investigate the relation between combined fibrinogen FGG and FGA gene haplotypes, representing the common variation of the fibrinogen FGG and FGA genes, coronary events and measures of coronary and extracoronary atherosclerosis. The study was embedded in the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based study among men and women aged >or=55 years. Common haplotypes were studied using seven tagging SNPs across a 30-kb region with the FGG and FGA genes. Incident coronary events were registered, and carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaques, ankle-arm index, aortic calcification and coronary calcification were assessed. Seven haplotypes with frequencies >1% covered 97.5% of the genetic variation. In 5,667 participants without history of coronary heart disease (CHD), 733 CHD cases occurred during a median follow-up time of 11.9 years. Fibrinogen gene haplotypes were not associated with coronary events. Fibrinogen gene haplotypes did not show a consistent association with measures of coronary and extracoronary atherosclerosis. In conclusion, fibrinogen FGG and FGA gene haplotypes are not associated with coronary events, coronary atherosclerosis or extracoronary atherosclerosis. Confirmation of these findings by future population-based studies is warranted.

Six hundred ninety-nine patients have required emergency coronary artery bypass after failed elective percutaneous coronary angioplasty during the decade September 1980 through December 1990. This represents 4% of 9860 patients having 12,146 elective percutaneous coronary angioplasty procedures during this interval. Emergency coronary artery bypass was required for acute refractory myocardial ischemia in 82%. Hospital mortality rate for all patients was 3.1%; 3.7% in patients with refractory myocardial ischemia but 0.8% in patients without refractory myocardial ischemia, p = 0.08. Postprocedural Q-wave myocardial infarctions were observed in 21% versus 2.4%, p less than 0.0001, and intra-aortic balloon pumping was required in 19% with versus 0.8% without refractory myocardial ischemia, p less than 0.0001. Multivessel disease, p = 0.004, age older than 65 years, p = 0.005, and refractory myocardial ischemia, p = 0.08, interacted to produce the highest risk of in-hospital death. Follow-up shows that there have been 28 additional late deaths, including 23 of cardiac causes for a 91% survival at 5 years. Freedom from both late death and Q-wave myocardial infarction at 5 years was 61%. In the group going to emergency coronary artery bypass with refractory myocardial ischemia, the late cardiac survival was 90%, and in those without ischemia, 92% at 5 years, p = not significant. The MI--free survival in the group with refractory ischemia, however, was 56% versus 83% in the group without ischemia, p less than 0.0001. Multivariate analysis showed the highest late event rates for patients with Q-wave myocardial infarction at the initial emergency coronary artery bypass, age older than 65 years, angina class III or IV, and prior coronary bypass surgery. In spite of a continuing high incidence of early acute myocardial infarction and an increasing operative mortality rate (7%) in the latest 3 years cohort of patients, excellent late survival and low subsequent cardiac event

This thesis describes and discusses the results of a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial comparing percutaneous coronary angioplasty with stenting (stenting) and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with a left internal mammary artery (surgery) in patients with a high-grade stenosis

This thesis describes and discusses the results of a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial comparing percutaneous coronary angioplasty with stenting (stenting) and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with a left internal mammary artery (surgery) in patients with a high-grade stenosis

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the effects of fenoldopam, 0.1 microg\\/kg\\/min, on left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and saphenous vein blood flow after coronary anastomosis. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: University teaching hospital, single institution. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one American Society of Anesthesiologists III patients undergoing elective coronary revascularization. INTERVENTIONS: A perivascular ultrasonic flow probe (Linton Instrumentation, Norfolk, UK) was placed around the LIMA and saphenous vein graft after coronary anastomosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Immediately before and at 5-minute intervals for 15 minutes after starting the infusion, blood flow was measured in the LIMA and one saphenous vein graft using a transit time ultrasonic flow probe. Heart rate, blood pressure, and central venous pressure were documented at these time points. Administration of fenoldopam, 0.1 microg\\/kg\\/min, did not alter heart rate or blood pressure. A small, nonsignificant increase in LIMA blood flow occurred during the 15-minute study period (30 +\\/- 12 to 35 +\\/- 10 mL\\/min) in patients who received fenoldopam. No significant changes occurred in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that fenoldopam, 0.1 microg\\/kg\\/min, did not influence coronary conduit blood flow to a clinically significant extent. The small increase in LIMA blood flow may be of greater importance in high-risk patients or in the prevention of coronary arterial spasm.

Objectives To understand the effect of carvedilol on the coronary vascular endothelial function of the patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Methods 51cases, having one or more than two branches narrow ( ≥ 70% ) , were diagnosed by coronary angiography. These patients were divided randomly into carvedilol group (n = 28 ) and control group (n = 23) who did not take carvedilol.Endothelin (ET) and nitro dioxide (NO) levels of peripheral blood were measured before and after PTCA,before and after two weeks by taking carvedilol. Results Compared with the ET and NO levels before PTCA, ET were markedly increased and NO were decreased after PTCA (p ＜ 0.05); compared with the ET and NO levels before taking carvedilol, ET were decreased and NO were increased after two week (p ＜0.05) , but the ET and NO levels of the control group did not change in the period of two weeks observation (p ＞ 0.05). Conclusions Carvedilol may improve the coronary vascular endothelial function after PTCA.

Full Text Available Background: Elevated mean platelet volume (MPV has been proposed as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD and is associated with poor clinical outcome in acute coronary syndrome (ACS. However, some studies have contradictory findings. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the association of MPV with the presence of coronary collateral vessel (CCV in patients with ACS. Objective: To find MPV value in ACS patients and to find the predictive value of MPV in the spectrum of CAD and to examine whether levels of MPV predict the presence of CCVs. Methods: A total of 180 patients with first ACS were included in the study. MPV was measured. All patients underwent coronary angiography to know disease severity and CCVs. The CCVs are graded according to the Rentrop scoring system and according to coronary angiography results; patients were divided into two groups as Group 1 (poor CCV and Group 2 (good CCV. Results: The MPV was 10.74 ± 2 fl in poor collateral group patients and 11.01 ± 1.7 fl in good collateral group (P = 0.421. The presence of CCV was not significantly associated with high levels of MPV. MPV value did not show any prediction of the spectrum of CAD. Conclusion: MPV on admission was not associated with the development of CCV positively in patients with ACS. Furthermore, it is not associated with a number of vessel involvements.

Introduction: Coronary CT angiography (CTA) detects non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) that may not be recognized by functional testing, but the prognostic impact is not well understood. This study aimed to compare the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and all-cause mortality...... in patients without or with non-obstructive and obstructive CAD assessed by coronary CTA. Methods: Consecutive patients without known coronary artery disease (CAD) and with chest pain who underwent coronary CTA (>64-detector row) between January 2007 and December 2012 in the 10 centers participating.......35, 95% CI: 3.35-5.65) Ag levels had an increased risk of subsequent MI when compared to patients without CAD. In addition, the risk of MI was increased among patients with 1-, 2-, and 3- vessel/LM obstructive disease with HRs of 4.31 (95% CI: 3.70-5.02), 4.55 (95% CI: 3.72-5.56), and 6.07 (95% CI: 4...

Full Text Available Background: There are some conflicting results with Conventional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts (CCABG with arrested heart in coronary high-risk patients. Moreover, performing off-pump CABG in these cases may be associated with serious complications. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the on-pump beating CABG (OPBCABG in coronary high-risk patients in comparison with the conventional methods. Methods: In a prospective research study, 3000 off-pump CABG patients were considered during June 2003 to December 2011. Among these, 157 patients with one or more of the following risk factors were included for OPBCABG; severe left main stenosis, early post-acute myocardial infarction with ongoing chest pain, unstable angina, intractable ventricular arrhythmia, post complicated coronary intervention and severe left ventricular dysfunction. These patients were compared with 157 similar patients undergone CCABG with aortic cross clamp before 2003. Results: Preoperative patient characteristics revealed no significant differences between the two groups. The patients’ mean age and number of grafts were 57 years and 3 per patient respectively. Hospital mortality was 3.2% and 9% in OPBCABG and CCABG groups, respectively (P<0.001. Preoperative myocardial infarction, requirement of inotropic agents and intraaortic balloon pump, renal dysfunction and prolonged ventilation time were significantly higher in CCABG group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that OPBCABG is effective in coronary high-risk patients and significantly reduces mortality and the incidence of perioperative MI and other major complications.

Objective To determine whether the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) can detect improvement in stenosis significance after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and compare this with fractional flow reserve (FFR) and whole cycle Pd/Pa. Design A prospective observational study was undertaken in elective patients scheduled for PCI with FFR ≤0.80. Intracoronary pressures were measured at rest and during adenosine-mediated vasodilatation, before and after PCI. iFR, Pd/Pa and FFR values were calculated using the validated fully automated algorithms. Setting Coronary catheter laboratories in two UK centres and one in the USA. Patients 120 coronary stenoses in 112 patients were assessed. The mean age was 63±10 years, while 84% were male; 39% smokers; 33% with diabetes. Mean diameter stenosis was 68±16% by quantitative coronary angiography. Results Pre-PCI, mean FFR was 0.66±0.14, mean iFR was 0.75±0.21 and mean Pd/Pa 0.83±0.16. PCI increased all indices significantly (FFR 0.89±0.07, pcoronary haemodynamics elicited by PCI. FFR and iFR have a significantly larger dynamic range than resting Pd/Pa. iFR might be used to objectively document improvement in coronary haemodynamics following PCI in a similar manner to FFR. PMID:24047640

Cardiac PET has the unique ability to assess coronary flow reserve and coronary endothelial function on the basis of response of blood flow to pharmacological stress and the cold pressor test. Quantitative analysis of coronary vasomotor function is valuable for precise assessment of function and treatment monitoring in the presence of various coronary risk factors. In addition, recent data have shown prognostic value of PET assessment of coronary vasomotor imaging in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. Thus, quantitative analysis of PET has a great potential for wide application in identifying microcirculatory dysfunction and ''individualized'' monitoring of the effects of primary or preventive medical intervention to optimize cardiovascular outcome. (orig.)

if bacterial DNA from primarily oral bacteria could be detected on coronary angioplasty balloons by use of an optimized sampling process combined with an internally validated sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Coronary angioplasty balloons and control samples from a total of 45 unselected...... angioplasty balloons are unlikely to be useful for detection of bacteria with current PCR techniques in unselected patients with coronary artery disease, more studies are warranted to determine the extent to which bacteria contribute to atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations and whether the presence......, and translocation of bacteria from the oral cavity to the coronary arteries may play a role in the development of coronary artery disease. Very few studies have used angioplasty balloons for in vivo sampling from diseased coronary arteries, and with varying results. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess...

To investigate the relationship between severity of cerebrovascular atherosclerosis stenosis and that of coronary atherosclerosis stenosis.Methods Cerebral angiography and coronary angiography were performed in 34 patients who had coronary disease with cerebral ischemia.Patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to the degree ofstenosis on angiography,concomitant diseases,risk factors and biochemical data.Results The follow-up study showed that the incidence of cardiac and cerebrovascular death increased significantly in patients with moderate to severe stenosis of coronary and cerebral arteries;the severity of stenosis in the coronary artery parallels that in the solitary carotid artery,or dual carotid and vertebral arteries.Conclusions Patients with coronary and cerebral artery stenosis,especially those with multi-risk factors,such as hypertension,diabetes and cigarette smoking,should receive intensive treatment to reduce cardiac and cerebrovascular events.(J Geriatr Cardiol 2008;5:227-229)

textabstractCatheter-induced left main coronary artery (LMCA) dissection is a dramatic, although uncommon complication of diagnostic coronary angiography and requires prompt treatment. We describe a case of iatrogenic occlusive dissection of the LMCA during coronary angiography, treated by

textabstractThis thesis presents an overview of clinical trials and observational studies on coronary revascularization and evaluates the results obtained with revascularization in different subsets of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Full Text Available A coronary cameral fistula (CCF involves a sizable communication between a coronary artery and a cardiac chamber. We present a case of giant coronary cameral fistula associated with coarctation of aorta in a 13 days old neonate.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measured during invasive coronary angiography is an independent prognosticator in patients with coronary artery disease and the gold standard for decision making in coronary revascularization. The integration of computational fluid dynamics and quantitative anatomic...

@@ Surgical revascularization for atherosclerotic heart disease, also called coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), was first performed in 1962, and is one of the great achievements in medicine. Relief of angina, improvement of exercise tolerance, and the realization of survival benefit have been documented.1 CABG has been used in multi-vessel disease and left main stenosis for over 40 years.2 In the last two decades the mortality of CABG has decreased to less than 2% despite an aging population with increased risk factors. However, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially with drug-eluting stents, has been challenging CABG, While PCI has improved, CABG has also progressed with better peri-operative management, a higher use of arterial grafting, off-pump surgery, and improved techniques with minimally invasive surgical options.3,4

Coronary stent implantation started in Germany 20 years ago. In the beginning, the progress was very slow and accelerated 10 years later. Meanwhile, coronary stent implantation is a standard procedure in interventional cardiology. From the beginning of permanent stent implantation, research started to provide temporary stenting of coronary arteries, first with catheter-based systems, later with stent-alone technology. Stents were produced from polymers or metal. The first polymer stent implantation failed except the Igaki-Tamai stent in Japan. Newly developed absorbable polymer stents seem to be very promising, as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography have demonstrated. Temporary metal stents were developed based on iron and magnesium. Currently, the iron stent is tested in peripheral arteries. The absorbable magnesium stent (Biotronik, Berlin, Germany) was tested in peripheral arteries below the knee and meanwhile in the multicenter international PROGRESS-AMS (Clinical Performance and Angiographic Results of Coronary Stenting with Absorbable Metal Stents) study. The first magnesium stent implantation was performed on July 30, 2004 after extended experimental testing in Essen. The magnesium stent behaved like a bare-metal stent with low recoil of 5-7%. The stent struts were absorbed when tested with IVUS. Stent struts were not visible by fluoroscopy or computed tomography (CT) as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). That means, that the magnesium stent is invisible and therefore CT and MRI can be used for imaging of interventions. Only using micro-CT the stent struts were visible. The absorption process could be demonstrated in a patient 18 days after implantation due to suspected acute coronary syndrome, which was excluded. IVUS showed a nice open lumen. Stent struts were no longer visible, but replaced by tissue indicating the previous stent location. Coronary angiography after 4 months showed an ischemia-driven target lesion

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is associated with emotions, especially negative ones, namely anxiety and depression. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a psychological model that consists of a variety of emotional skills. The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between different dimensions of Emotional Intelligence and coronary heart disease. A total of 300 participants were studied during a 3-year period in an attempt to partially replicate and further expand a previous study conducted in Greece among CHD patients, which indicated a strong association between certain dimensions of Emotional Intelligence and the incidence of CHD. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire, assessing several aspects of Emotional Intelligence. The results showed that there is a link between the regulation of emotions and the occurrence of CHD. The evidence reported in the present study makes stronger the claim that EI plays a significant role in the occurrence of CHD.

Cogan's syndrome (CS) is a rare inflammatory disorder characterized by interstitial keratitis and vestibuloauditory abnormalities often associated with various systemic manifestations. Involvement of cardiovascular system resembling systemic vasculitis may lead to severe complications and death. The present report describes a case of a female patient with atypical Cogan's syndrome presented with systemic manifestations and severe coronary and femoral artery stenosis.Despite the clinical improvement after glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, the patient required double aortocoronal bypass grafting one year letter. During three years follow-up, she was in stable condition, without stenocardial symptoms and claudication and her inflammatory parameters remain normal. This case highlights the rare involvement of coronary arteries without associated large-vessel vasculitis of the aortic arch in CS.

Full Text Available The radial artery access has gained popularity as a method of diagnostic coronary catheterization compared to femoral artery puncture in terms of vascular complications and early ambulation. However, very rare complication like radial artery pseudoaneurysm may occur following cardiac catheterization which may give rise to serious consequences. Here, we report a patient with radial pseudoaneurysm following diagnostic coronary angiography. Adequate and correct methodology of compression of radial artery following puncture for maintaining hemostasis is the key to prevention.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v10i3.12776 Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 2014, Vol-10, No-3, 48-50

There are numerous associations between stress, mental disorders and coronary heart disease (CHD). Exposure to an acute stressor leads to activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and sympathoadrenal systems and chronic stressors are associated with sustained functional changes of these systems. Experiencing acute and chronic stress is paralleled by an increased incidence of mental disorders with the most consistent evidence on the triggering of major depressive episodes. Various mental disorders, including depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, are associated with an increased risk of CHD. Furthermore, acute and chronic stressors have been identified as risk factors or triggers of acute coronary syndromes. Thus therapeutic strategies aim at reducing subjective stress experience, therapy of mental disorders and treatment of cardiac risk factors known to be more prevalent in increased stress states and mental disorders.

Full Text Available A 14-year-old girl, presenting with heart failure and a continuous murmur, similar to that of a patent arterial duct, was investigated using echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization revealing a left to right shunt throught a coronary artery fistulae between the first septal branch and the right ventricular outflow tract. The patient was submitted to surgery, occluding the anomalous branch by the suturing of its orifice in the right ventricular outflow tract, under cardiopulmonary bypass. After the operation, cardiac catheterization revealed complete occlusion of the fistula without any residual shunt or compromise to the coronary circulation. In seven years of follow-up the patient is completely free of symptoms.

Dual antiplatelet therapy is well recognized in the prevention of thrombotic complications of acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary interventions. Despite clinical benefits of aspirin and clopidogrel therapy, a number of limitations curtail their efficacy: slow onset of action, variability in platelet inhibitory response and potential drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, the single platelet-activation pathway targeted by these agents allows continued platelet activation via other pathways, ensuring incomplete protection against ischemic events, thus, underscoring the need for alternate antiplatelet treatment strategies. A number of novel antiplatelet agents are currently in advance development and many have established superior effects on platelet inhibition, clinical outcomes and safety profile than clopidogrel in high-risk patients. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current status of P2Y12 receptor inhibition and PAR-1 antagonists in determining a future strategy for individualized antiplatelet therapy.

Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) has considerably increased the life expectancy of patients infected with HIV. Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of mortality in patients infected with HIV. This is primarily attributed to their increased survival, HAART-induced metabolic derangements, and to HIV itself. The pathophysiology of atherosclerosis in HIV is both multifactorial and complex – involving direct endothelial injury and dysfunction, hypercoagulability, and a significant contribution from traditional cardiac risk factors. The advent of HAART has since heralded a remarkable improvement in outcomes, but at the expense of other unforeseen issues. It is thus of paramount importance to swiftly recognize and manage acute coronary syndromes in HIV-infected patients to attenuate adverse complications, which should translate into improved clinical outcomes. PMID:27845996

Subclavian stenosis is a highly prevalent and underrecognized clinical entity. In patients with a history of coronary artery bypass grafting utilizing a left internal mammary artery, subclavian artery stenosis can cause coronary-subclavian steal, leading to myocardial ischemia. Traditionally, this has been treated surgically with a vascular bypass operation. Two cases of coronary-subclavian steal syndrome are presented, 1 treated percutaneously with angioplasty and stent, and 1 treated with a combined endovascular-surgical procedure.

Coronary (artery) spasm plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, including stable angina, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. The prevalence of coronary spasm differs among populations, is higher in Japan and Korea than in the Western countries probably due to genetic as well as environmental factors. Coronary spasm occurs most often from midnight to early morning and is usually not induced by exercise in the daytime. The attacks of coronary spasm are associated with either ST segment elevation or depression, or negative U wave on ECG. Patients with multi-vessel coronary spasm may suffer from lethal arrhythmia, including advanced AV block, ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, or even sudden death, and they are often resistant to conventional medical therapy including Ca-channel blockers (CCBs). Endothelial nitric oxide (NO) activity is reduced and markers of oxidative stress are elevated in patients with coronary spasm. Thrombogenesis is enhanced and plasma levels of hsCRP and P-selection are elevated in patients with coronary spasm. Thus, patients with coronary spasm have endothelial dysfunction and are suffering from a low-grade chronic inflammation. Polymorphisms of endothelial NO synthase, smoking, and low-grade inflammation are the most important risk factors for coronary spasm. Coronary spasm is a hyper-contraction of coronary smooth muscle triggered by an increase of intracellular Ca2+ in the presence of an increased Ca2+ sensitivity. It has been shown that RhoA/ROCK pathway is involved in Ca2+ sensitivity and that the reduced endothelial NO activity results in increased Ca2+ sensitivity through enhanced RhoA/ROCK pathway. Accordingly, it is possible that in addition to CCBs, RhoA/ROCK pathway blockers may prove to be useful for the treatment of coronary spasm.

We developed an automated system based on an IBM PC/XT Personal computer to measure coronary venous blood flow during cardiac catheterization. Flow is determined by a thermodilution technique in which a cold saline solution is infused through a catheter into the coronary venous system. Regional temperature fluctuations sensed by the catheter are used to determine great cardiac vein and coronary sinus blood flow. The computer system replaces manual methods of acquiring and analyzing temperatur...

Time-course variations in coronary circulation and cardiac output were measured in 29 healthy test subjects who performed tests with a continuous cumulation of Coriolis accelerations and in 12 healthy test subjects who were exposed to Coriolis accelerations combined with acute hypoxia. Adaptive changes in coronary circulation were seen. It is recommended to monitor coronary circulation during vestibulometric tests as part of medical expertise of the flying personnel.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare condition, usually presenting as an acute coronary syndrome, and is often seen in states associated with high systemic estrogen levels such as pregnancy or oral contraceptive use. While topical hormonal replacement therapy may result in increased estrogen levels similar to those documented with oral contraceptive use, there are no reported cases of spontaneous coronary dissection with topical hormonal replacement therapy. We describe a 53-year...

A series of 456 episodes of spontaneous chest pain not considered by the primary medical attendant to be sufficiently severe or suggestive of coronary disease to warrant admission to hospital has been studied prospectively in an attempt to provide guidelines for diagnosis and management. A final diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was made in 40 per cent, spontaneous (or unstable) angina in 15 per cent, doubtful coronary attack in 12 per cent, and non-coronary chest pain in 33 per cent o...

A 37-year-old man who recently underwent aortic valve replacement after endocarditis presented with cardiogenic shock. A large expansile pseudoaneurysm was subsequently discovered using multiple imaging modalities. Although transesophageal echocardiography is important in diagnosing valve endocarditis, coronary CT angiography of prosthetic valves is feasible and image quality is good. In this case, coronary CT angiography allowed for better understanding of transesophageal echocardiography images and earlier diagnosis of coronary involvement as cause for left ventricular dysfunction.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coronary angiography is an important tool in diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. However, it is the administration is relatively stressful and emotionally traumatic for the subjects. The aim of this study is to evaluate psychophysiological responses induced by the coronary angiography instead of subjective methods such as a questionnaire. We have also evaluated the influence of the tranquilizer on the psychophysiological responses. Methods Electrocardiography (ECG, Blood Volume Pulse (BVP, and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR of 34 patients who underwent coronary angiography operation were recorded. Recordings were done at three phases: "1 hour before," "during," and "1 hour after" the coronary angiography test. Total of 5 features obtained from the physiological signals were compared across these three phases. Sixteen of the patients were administered 5 mg of a tranquilizer (Diazepam before the operation and remaining 18 were not. Results Our results indicate that there is a strong correlation between features (LF/HF, Bk, DN1/DN2, skin conductance level and seg_mean in terms of reflecting psychophysiological responses. However only DN1/DN2 feature has statistically significant differences between angiography phases (for diazepam: p = 0.0201, for non_diazepam p = 0.0224. We also note that there are statistically significant differences between the diazepam and non-diazepam groups for seg_mean features in "before", "during" and "after" phases (p = 0.0156, 0.0282, and 0.0443, respectively. Conclusions The most intense sympathetic activity is observed in the "during" angiography phase for both of the groups. The obtained features can be used in some clinical studies where generation of the customized/individual diagnoses styles and quantitative evaluation of psychophysiological responses is necessary.

Full Text Available Background: Hearing is one of the most significant senses; There fore, any defect can be frightening. The incidence of sever hearing loss following coronary artery bypass surgery has been estimated as one per thousand. This Prospective study carried out to determine hearing effects of coronary artery bypass surgery."nMethods: age, audiometric changes before and after surgery (hearing levels at multiple frequencies, speech reception threshold and speech discrimination score, minimum blood pressure during the operation, and the time on bypass, measured on One hundred consecutive patients who candidate for coronary artery bypass surgery and the results analysed."nResults: One hundred patients completed the tests. Based on hearing changes found on pre- and post-operative tests, the patients were divided into 3 groups: Those with no change (47 patients according to their audiometric results; those with slight changes ≤10 db (43 patients; and those having average deficits of more than 10 db (10 patients. All the patients were male. None of the patients had complete or severe sensorineural hearing loss. The third group had more prolonged pumping duration when compared with the others groups (p=0.002. Furthermore, 90 percent of patients with a sensorineural hearing loss more than 10 db had diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia as risk factors."nConclusion: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a sequela in patients who undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery; however, it was usually mild and asymptomatic. Pumping time during the operation is a significant factor in occurring of this complication. With proper treatment of underlying diseases and eliminating the risk factors with improvement of our cardiopulmonary pumps we probably can get better hearing results.

Full Text Available Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory syndrome with unpredictable progression to systemic inflammation and multi-organ dysfunction. As in our case rarely, acute pancreatitis can be presented with the coexistance of acute coronary syndrome. To prevent a misdiagnosis of acute situation presented with chest or abdominal pain, physicians must be aware for coexisting pathophysiologies and take into account the differential diagnosis of all life-threatening causes such as cardiac ischemia or acute abdominal situations.

Full Text Available So-called “metabolic” direction has been developing intensively during last decades. Its aim is the theoretical and practical analysis of the role of metabolic disorders in initiation and progression of many diseases. The pathogenic peculiarities of acute coronary syndrome (ACS which result in developing of secondary mitochondrial dysfunction are considered as a subject of this review. The methods of laboratory diagnosis of mitochondrial dysfunction and possibilities of its pharmaceutical correction in patients with ACS are reviewed.

Background Kawasaki disease (KD) is the leading cause of pediatric ischemic heart disease. The incidence of serious coronary sequelae is low and about 2%-3% of patients with KD, but once myocardial infarction occurs in children, the mortality is quite high and 22% at the first infarction.This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with KD.Methods Eight patients with a history of KD underwent CABG between October 1997 and July 2005. The number of bypass grafts placed was 2 to 4 per patient (mean 2.5±0.8). Various bypass grafts were used in patients, i.e. the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) in 3 patients, bilateral internal mammary artery (IMA) in 2 patients, LIMA plus gastroepiploic artery (GEA) in 1 patient and total saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) in 2 patients. The combined procedures included ventricular aneurysmectomy in 1 patient, mitral valve plasty in 1 and right coronary aneurysmectomy in 1. One patient was not able to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), after being supported with intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), the patient was weaned from CPB successfully.Results One patient died of low cardiac output syndrome and acute renal failure 19 days after operation. Other patients recovered and were discharged uneventfully. During the follow-up that ranged from 3 to 57 months (mean 27 months),clincal angina disappeared or improved. Cardiac function was in Class Ⅰ-Ⅱ (NYHA).Conclusion CABG is a safe and effective procedure for Kawasaki coronary artery disease. However long-term results need to be followed up.

Full Text Available Coronary Heart Disease should new be considered an important public health problem in India. It is a part of the epidemiological transition characterized by changing lifestyles and a probable genetic predisposition. The interplay of factors with regards to their existence, causality and attributable weight-age needs to be understood in the context of management of an individual patient as well as strategic planning for control and prevention.

This paper presents the study of nanorobots control activation for stenosed coronary occlusion, with the practical use of chemical and thermal gradients for biomedical problems. The recent developments on nanotechnology new materials allied with electronics device miniaturization may enable nanorobots for the next few years. New possibilities for medicine are expected with the development of nanorobots. It may help to advance the treatment of a wide number ...

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death around the world. The coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common diseases in this category, which can be the trigger to various psychosocial complications. We believe that inadequate attention has been paid to this issue. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to explore the psychosocial complications of CAD from the Iranian patients’ perspective. Patients and Methods: A qualitative design based on the ...

Full Text Available Coronary artery fistula (CAF is defined as a rare anomalous connection between a coronary artery and a major vessel or a cardiac chamber. We report a case of a left anterior descending coronary (LAD stenosis and coronary artery fistula between the LAD coronary artery and the pulmonary artery (PA. CAF is often diagnosed by coronary angiogram. We describe our diagnostic approach and review the literature on the epidemiology, the pathophysiology, the diagnostic modalities, and the treatment options.

Full Text Available Aim. Set the terms of occurrence and morphological markers of coronary vessels in the embryonic period of human ontogenesis.Material and methods. To realize the aim of our work the embryos of human heart from 5 th to 8 th week of prenatal development period were investigated in the amount of 60. The obtained specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemical study. For this purpose, the original monoclonal antibodies have been used, such as transcription factor Prox-1, cell proliferation marker Ki-67, an endothelial marker CD-34 and smooth-muscle actin (α-SMA. To identify the reaction the solution of chromogen 3-diaminobenzidine tetrachloride was applied, which is manifested in a rich brown color in the sensitive cells of the cardiac wall.Conclusions: The morphological specialization of vascular links of coronary system in the embryonic period has a natural sequence - acquisition of venous properties at first and parallel differentiation of arterial structures. After arteriovenous determination the next phase begins – lymphatic specialization of venous endothelial cells with the formation of lymphatic links of coronary vascular system

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between coronary artery stenosis and Mimecan expression in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Seventy eight patients with CHD and 80 controls without vascular lesions were recruited into present study. CHD patients were divided into one-vessel CHD subgroup, 2-vessel CHD subgroup and multivessel CHD subgroup. ELISA was performed to detect the expressions of serum Mimecan and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB). When compared with control group, the expressions of serum mimecan gene and NF-κB significantly increased in CHD groups (P coronary lesions (rmimecan=0.79, rNF-κB=0.83, P < 0.05). Increased expressions of serum mimecan and NF-κB in CHD patients are related to cardiac insufficiency, which may be ascribed to the binding of NF-κB to mimecan gene.

Full Text Available A number of "interesting" risk markers have been proposed as providing prognostic information in acute coronary syndromes (ACS. Elevation in plasma inflammatory and necrosis biomarkers have been related to future cardiovascular events in individuals with or without prior myocardial infarction. Recently BNP and pro-BNP are entered in clinical practice to recognize patients at major risk, providing incremental information respect to the traditional markers. Together with these laboratory indexes, a few of promising laboratory markers once easily available, could become useful in identification of patients at high risk. Several studies evaluated many markers of platelet aggregation, endothelial dysfunction and vascular thrombosis, but it is not yet clear whether each of the proposed markers may provide incremental predictive information. We describe, following the most studies reported in literature, the laboratory markers with potential clinical and prognostic power that could early help physicians in the identifi cation of patients with impaired coronary disease and more narrowed coronary arteries.

Objective: To study whether adiponectin in serum of patients with coronary heart disease is reduced, and compare with the test results in total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), blood glucose (GLU), C-reactive protein (CRP). Method: We selected 80 cases of coronary heart disease patients as the experimental group, 50 healthy subjects as control group. The coronary heart disease group compared with the control group, we know the changes of adiponectin in coronary heart disease group and compared coronary heart disease group with control group in test results of blood lipid, blood glucose, C-reactive protein. Results: Adiponectin in coronary heart disease group was (0.47±0.09) mg/L, which decreased significantly comparing to control group’s level (t=-18.4, P<0.001), HDL-C in coronary heart disease group was (1.24±0.04) mmol/L, which decreased significantly comparing to control group’s level (t=-27.67, P<0.001). The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The level’s adiponectin in patients of coronary heart disease dropped, which lead to hypoadiponectinemia, Hypoadiponectinemia may be one of the risk factors of coronary heart disease.

Coronary artery involvement is seen in approximately 15-20% of children with Kawasaki disease. There is conflicting literature regarding the clinical and laboratory findings associated with coronary artery involvement. In this retrospective study, we attempt identification of predictive factors for coronary artery involvement at our institute and review the existing literature. A review of 203 patients (65% males) with Kawasaki disease was performed, of whom 33 (16.3%) had coronary artery involvement. High erythrocyte sedimentation rate, high platelet count, low hematocrit, low albumin levels, and refractory Kawasaki disease showed significant association with coronary artery involvement. High erythrocyte sedimentation rate and refractory Kawasaki disease were found to be independent predictors of coronary artery involvement. Review of literature suggested a wide range of coronary involvement (60%), and highly conflicting clinical and laboratory associations. It remains difficult to accurately determine risk of coronary artery involvement, although some laboratory markers may provide information that is helpful for parental counseling and clinical follow up. Future identification of novel biomarkers and host predispositions may further our understanding of coronary artery risks and help personalize therapy for Kawasaki disease.

Diffuse coronary vasospasm is an unpredictable and serious complication following coronary artery bypass surgery. The treatment of this emergency is dependent on patient suitability for angiography and direct injection of vasodilators into the affected vessels. In patients unable to proceed to angiography the diagnosis can only be suspected but treatment is nevertheless still towards reinstitution of coronary blood flow. We present one such case in which re-grafting and extracorporeal membranous oxygenation proved successful in restoring cardiac function in a patient with diffuse coronary artery spasm.

Dextrocardia with situs inversus is a rare congenital abnormality involving a left-handed mal rotation of the visceral organs. The incidence of coronary artery disease is the same as that in the general population. Performing coronary artery bypass surgery on patients with dextrocardia poses a more challenging task. It is recommended that the right internal mammary artery be the first choice of graft for the anterior descending artery for a "situs inversus" situation. We report 2 cases of patients with Dextrocardia who developed coronary artery disease and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Also mentioned is the slight difference in our technique.

Objective To determine the prevalence of coronary risk factors in Paralympic athletes and evaluate their risk of coronary events. Method An observational prospective cross sectional study of 79 consecutive Brazilian Paralympic athletes (mean (SD) age 27.8 (6.7) years (median 26 years)). There were 56 men and 23 women, 67 with physical and 12 with visual disabilities. The occurrence of systemic hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, familial antecedents, obesity, and hypertriglyceridaemia was investigated. The risk of coronary events was calculated using the American Heart Association Coronary risk handbook, and also the 10 year probability of a coronary event using the Framingham risk score. Results The prevalence of risk factors was: systemic hypertension, 11%; familial antecedents, 10%; smoking, 9%; hypertriglyceridaemia, 6%; hypercholesterolaemia, 1.3%; obesity, 4%; diabetes, 0%. They occurred in 51% of the Paralympic athletes: one factor (41%), two factors (4%), and three factors (6%). The risk of coronary events was absent in 80%, slight in 17%, and moderate in 3%. This could only be evaluated in 81% of the athletes, as 8% had amputations, 9% were young, and 2% had unknown familial antecedents. The Framingham risk score ranged from −14 to +6, predicting a 10 year probability of a coronary event of 3.3 (3.8)%. Conclusion This study shows a reasonably high prevalence of coronary risk factors (51%), despite a low probability of coronary events in Paralympic athletes. The lipid and blood pressure profiles were similar in ambulatory and wheelchair athletes. PMID:16950883

Echocardiography of a 60 year-old woman with a three-year history of heart murmur revealed a coronary artery fistula. Coronary angiography indicated right coronary artery ectasia and fistula. The pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratio was 1.4, and left-to-right shunt, 29%. On follow-up, infective endocarditis of the tricuspid valve had developed and was treated using antibiotics. The right coronary artery was dilated along its length and was saccular at the distal aspect. At this point, a fistula also connected by the left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries drained into the right ventricle. Fistula closure and reduction aneurysmectomy were performed.

Full Text Available Dual left anterior descending coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly with 4 subtypes. Double left anterior descending coronary artery originating from the left main stem and the right coronary artery (type IV dual left anterior descending artery has been reported to occur in 0.01% to 0.7% of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. We report a case of a 49-year-old woman who was found to have this anomaly during coronary angiography. The patient had been complaining of chest pain that mimics angina pectoris and exercise tolerance test was positive for myocardial ischemia.

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to examine the risk factors that lead to the violation of the coronary circulation. Rationale for the use of physical rehabilitation to restore optimal hemodynamics in the myocardium. Considered views on the causes of the high mortality rate of the population of Ukraine of cardiovascular disease. It is shown that the main cause of death is coronary heart disease. Suggested that the major risk factors for coronary heart disease is high cholesterol, hypertension and obesity. Proposed to use exercise therapy, dosage walking, psychotherapy, autogenic training and diet therapy in rehabilitation program patients with impaired coronary circulation.

BACKGROUND: In patients referred for aortic valve replacement (AVR) a pre-surgical assessment of coronary artery disease is mandatory to determine the possible need for additional coronary artery bypass grafting. The diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA......) was evaluated in patients with aortic valve stenosis referred for surgical AVR. METHODS: Between March 2008 and March 2010 a total of 181 consecutive patients were included. All patients underwent pre-surgical coronary CTA (64- or 320-detector CT scanner) and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). The analyses...... with disagreement between ICA and coronary CTA in univariate analysis. CONCLUSION: In patients with aortic valve stenosis referred for surgical AVR the diagnostic accuracy of coronary CTA to identify significant coronary artery disease is moderate. Coronary CTA may be used successfully in a subset of patients...

Assessment of experience gained by local referring physicians with the procedure of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in the everyday clinical routine. A 25-item questionnaire was sent to 179 physicians, who together had referred a total of 1986 patients for CCTA. They were asked about their experience to date with CCTA, the indications for coronary imaging, and their practice in referring patients for noninvasive CCTA or invasive catheter angiography. 53 questionnaires (30%) were assessable, corresponding to more than 72% of the patients referred. Of the referring physicians who responded, 94% saw a concrete advantage of CCTA in the treatment of patients, whereby 87% were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the reporting. For excluding coronary heart disease (CHD) where there was a low pre-test probability of disease, the physicians considered CCTA to be superior to conventional coronary diagnosis (4.2 on a scale of 1-5) and vice versa for acute coronary syndrome (1.6 of 5). The main reasons for unsuitability of CCTA for CT diagnosis were claustrophobia and the absence of a sinus rhythm. The level of exposure to radiation in CCTA was estimated correctly by only 42% of the referring physicians. 90% of the physicians reported that their patients evaluated their coronary CT overall as 'positive' or 'neutral', while 87% of the physicians whose patients had undergone both procedures reported that the patients had experienced CCTA as the less disagreeable of the two. CCTA is accepted by the referring physicians as an alternative imaging procedure for the exclusion of CHD and received a predominantly positive assessment from both the referring physicians and the patients.

myocardial infarctions may occur in patients with minimal or no coronary artery disease on angiography. These observations, as well as post mortem ...diagnosis and treatment guidance for fixed obstructive coronary artery lesions . Contemporary research has shown that a significant proportion of...reveals areas in the coronary artery wall and in atherosclerotic lesions that contain pools of cholesterol and related compounds. These areas are felt to

Full Text Available We report a case of a six-month-old Hispanic male infant who had Kawasaki disease and coronary artery aneurysms on echocardiography. He died suddenly five months later in spite of aggressive medical therapy. Autopsy showed extensive coronary artery thrombosis. Giant coronary artery aneurysms need diligent follow up as they pose significant risks including risk of thrombus, myocardial infarction and sudden death.

Background Noninvasive cardiac imaging is now central to the diagnosis and management of patients with moderate probability for coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of stress myocardial perfusion single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) on in-hospital coronary angiography and revascularization for such patients.Methods Between January 2005 and June 2007, 1053 consecutive in-hospital patients (423 women, the average age of (57.2±11.2) years) with suspected coronary artery disease but without any prior interventional treatment were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent a 2-day stress/rest 99m Tc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) myocardial perfusion SPECT, including 984 exercise test and 69 adenosine test.Results Overall, stress/rest myocardial perfusion SPECT was normal in 973 patients (92.4%) and abnormal in 80 patients (7.6%). A total of 190 patients underwent coronary angiography, 46 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and 10 coronary artery bypass grafting during hospitalization. From the whole perspective, only 14.7% of patients with normal SPECT underwent coronary angiography, so did 58.8% of patients with abnormal SPECT (x2=97.0,P＜0.001); furthermore, the rates of revascularization in patients with normal and abnormal SPECT were 2.8% and 36.3%,respectively (27 out of 973 vs. 29 out of 80, x2=157.9, P＜0.001). The extent and severity of ischemia did not add more predictive value for subsequent coronary angiography, but did have impact on revascularization. Multivariate analysis showed that reversible perfusion defect was the most predictive variable for referral rate to coronary angiography (odds ratio=7.5, P＜0.001).Conclusions Abnormal myocardial perfusion SPECT is a powerful referral for in-hospital coronary angiography and revascularization during the same hospitalization. Thus, stress/rest SPECT is an effective gatekeeper for early coronary angiography and invasive treatment for

Yellow plaques seen during coronary angioscopy are thought to be the surrogates for superficial intimal lipids in coronary plaque. Given diffuse and heterogeneous nature of atherosclerosis, yellow plaques in coronaries may be seen as several yellow spots on diffuse coronary plaque. We examined the topographic association of yellow plaques with coronary plaque. In 40 non-severely stenotic ex-vivo coronary segments (average length: 52.2 +/- 3.1 mm), yellow plaques were examined by angioscopy with quantitative colorimetry. The segments were cut perpendicular to the long axis of the vessel at 2 mm intervals, and 1045 slides with 5 microm thick tissue for whole segments were prepared. To construct the plaque surface, each tissue slice was considered to be representative of the adjacent 2 mm. The circumference of the lumen and the lumen border of plaque were measured in each slide, and the plaque surface region was constructed. Coronary plaque was in 37 (93%) of 40 segments, and consisted of a single mass [39.9 +/- 3.9 (0-100) mm, 311.3 +/- 47.4 (0.0-1336.2) mm2]. In 30 (75%) segments, multiple (2-9) yellow plaques were detected on a mass of coronary plaque. The number of yellow plaques correlated positively with coronary plaque surface area (r = 0.77, P colorimetry, some of them are associated with lipid cores underneath thin fibrous caps, may be used to assess the extent of coronary plaque. Further research using angioscopy could be of value to study the association of high-risk coronaries with acute coronary syndromes.

Full Text Available Myocardial bridging is characterized as the compression of a segment of the coronary artery during systole. Significant atherosclerosis within the bridge is almost never seen at pathologic examination because of the absence of synthetic type smooth muscle cells in the intima of the tunneled artery. To date, there have been no reports of significant atherosclerosis at the site of myocardial bridging documented by angiography or intravenous ultrasound. We report a rare case of fixed coronary artery stenosis at the site of myocardial bridging identified by intravascular ultrasound.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in an anomalous right coronary artery (RCA) can be technically difficult because selective cannulation of the vessel may not be easy. We thereby present two cases with unstable angina pectoris of anomalous originated RCA. The PCI were successfully performed in two patients with a special guiding wire manipulating skill which we called "gone with the flow" combined with balloon anchoring technology, providing excellent angiographic visualization and sound guide support for stent delivery throughout the procedure without severe cardiovascular adverse effects. Our primary data suggested that PCI for geriatric patients with an anomalous origin of RCA accompanied by severe atherosclerotic lesions might also be a safe, available, and feasible strategy.

Chronic inflammatory mechanisms in the arterial wall lead to atherosclerosis,and include endothelial cell damage,inflammation,apoptosis,lipoprotein deposition,calcification and fibrosis.Cardiac computed tomography angiography(CCTA)has been shown to be a promising tool for non-invasive assessment of theses specific compositional and structural changes in coronary arteries.This review focuses on the technical background of CCTA-based quantitative plaque characterization.Furthermore,we discuss the available evidence for CCTA-based plaque characterization and the potential role of CCTA for risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease.

The coronary physiology of a prosthetic Perma-Flow coronary bypass graft conduit is demonstrated in the first patient at 1-yr follow-up. Coronary blood flow velocity was measured in the body of the graft and into the side-to-side anastomosis to the first diagonal branch. This case report demonstrates the first information on the coronary and prosthetic graft flow in a patient with atherosclerotic coronary disease.

The role of 16-slice spiral CT was evaluated in the diagnosis of coronary stenosis, with selective X-ray coronary angiography (SCA) serving as the reference standard. Sixty-five patients who were suspected of having coronary heart disease, without percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary bypass-grafting, were investigated using 16-slice CT. Eight patients with pre-scan heart rate of more than 80 beats/min were given β-blockers. After the retrospectively ECG-gated axial imaging reconstruction, volume redering (VR), multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), curved MPR and maximum intensity projection (MIP) were used to reconstruct. Every segment of coronary artery with a diameter ≥1.5 mm was assessed, and the presence on CT with a stenosis exceeding 50% diameter reduction was compared with that on SCA. The reasons which lead to some segments unevaluable were analysed. Compared with SCA, 93% coronary segments and 94 % main branches were evaluable. Residual cardiac motion artifacts, severe calcification and poor opacification made 58%, 28% and 14% of the remaining 60 segments unevaluable respectively. Without routine administration of β-blockers, good coronary imaging quality can be acquired using 16-slice spiral CT. It is a reliable noninvasive method for detection of obstructive coronary artery disease.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few studies have focused on the association between the sociodemographic characteristics of a patient with the change in health-related quality of life (HRQOL following invasive coronary procedures, and the results remain inconclusive. The objective of the present study was to measure the temporal changes in HRQOL of patients with coronary heart disease, and assess how these changes are associated with invasive coronary procedures and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods This was a prospective study of 254 patients with angina pectoris and 90 patients with acute coronary syndrome. HRQOL was assessed with the multi-item scales and summary components of the SF-36, both 6 weeks and 2 years after baseline hospitalization in 1998. Paired t-tests and multiple regression analyses were used to assess temporal changes in HRQOL and to identify the associated factors. Results Physical components of HRQOL had improved most during the 2 years following invasive coronary procedures. Our findings indicated that patients with angina pectoris who were younger, male, and more educated were most likely to increase their HRQOL following invasive coronary procedures. When adjusting for baseline HRQOL scores, invasive coronary procedures and sociodemographic characteristics did not explain temporal changes in patients with acute coronary syndrome, possibly due to higher comorbidity. Conclusion Sociodemographic characteristics should be taken into account when comparing and interpreting changes in HRQOL scores in patients with and without invasive coronary procedures.

Full Text Available Andrew S Levy*, Justin CS Chung*, Jeffrey T Kroetsch*, James WE RushDepartment of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; *These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: This review highlights a number of nitric oxide (NO-related mechanisms that contribute to coronary vascular function and that are likely affected by hypertension and thus become important clinically as potential considerations in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of coronary complications of hypertension. Coronary vascular resistance is elevated in hypertension in part due to impaired endothelium-dependent function of coronary arteries. Several lines of evidence suggest that other NO synthase isoforms and dilators other than NO may compensate for impairments in endothelial NO synthase (eNOS to protect coronary artery function, and that NO-dependent function of coronary blood vessels depends on the position of the vessel in the vascular tree. Adaptations in NOS isoforms in the coronary circulation to hypertension are not well described so the compensatory relationship between these and eNOS in hypertensive vessels is not clear. It is important to understand potential functional consequences of these adaptations as they will impact the efficacy of treatments designed to control hypertension and coronary vascular disease. Polymorphisms of the eNOS gene result in significant associations with incidence of hypertension, although mechanistic details linking the polymorphisms with alterations in coronary vasomotor responses and adaptations to hypertension are not established. This understanding should be developed in order to better predict those individuals at the highest risk for coronary vascular complications of hypertension. Greater endothelium-dependent dilation observed in female coronary arteries is likely related to endothelial Ca2+ control and eNOS expression and activity. In hypertension models, the coronary vasculature has not been

Objective Although congenital heart diseases are uncommon in the elderly, coronary artery anomalies may be incidentally discovered in old age. We sought to determine the incidence and clinical features of coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) in patients over 65 years of age. Patients and methods Medical records of patients undergoing coronary artery angiography in the years 1997-2002 at the Legnago General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed, The clinical profiles of all patients with CAAs and CAA subtypes were noted. Comparison between patients under and over 65 was performed. Data are given as mean standard deviation and as percentages. Results Sixtysix patients (1.21%, Female/Male 22/44, mean age 65.3 ± 10.6 years) out of the 5450 who underwent coronary angiography in the years 1997-2002 had CAAs. In mast cases (63%, 41/66 patients), the patients were over 65.CAAs were discovered incidentally in these elderly patients while undergoing coronary artery angiography for dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, and valvular heart disease in 75% of the cases (30/41 patients). Patients over 65 had more cardiac comorbidities and .a higher incidence of coronary atherosclerosis. Conclusions The angiographic incidence of CAAs in elderly patients is increasing as the population ages and this occurrence calls for a wider knowledge of the anatomy and pathophysiology of CAAs among geriatric cardiologists. Elderly patients seem to present with lower risk coronary anomalies (separated origin of left anterior descending coronary artery and circanfflex artery, origin of circumflex artery from the right sinus or the right coronary artery, double coronary artery)but have a higher risk profile compared to younger patients due to the frequency of cardiac comorbidities and superimposed coronary artery atherosclerosis.

Full Text Available Background: The coronary sinus is a dilated venous channel opening into the right atrium of the heart. The coronary venous system has gained importance in recent years for electrophysiological procedures like arrhythmia ablation, biventricular pacing and implantation of cardiac pacemakers. The present study aims to study the formation and tributaries of coronary sinus and also the morphology of thebesian valve. Materials and Methods: 30 formalin fixed cadaveric hearts available in the department of Anatomy, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Perambalur, Tamil nadu, was used for the study. The formation and tributaries of coronary sinus were noted. The length of coronary sinus in millimeters was measured from the union of great cardiac vein and left marginal vein upto the opening of the coronary sinus in the right atrium with vernier calipers. The width of the coronary ostium in the right atrium was measured in millimeters with vernier calipers. Results: In 93.33% specimens the coronary sinus was formed by the union of great cardiac vein and left marginal vein. In 3.33% specimens it was formed by the union of great cardiac vein and posterior vein of left ventricle, and in 3.33% specimens it was formed by the union of great cardiac vein and oblique vein of left atrium. The left marginal vein was absent in 2 specimens and small cardiac vein was absent in 1 specimen. The mean length of coronary sinus was 54.98 + 12.2mm. The mean width of coronary sinus ostium was 9.35 + 3.24mm. The Thebesian valve was present in 93.33% specimens and it was semilunar in shape. Conclusion: The knowledge of coronary sinus anatomy will be helpful during electrophysiological procedures.

To determine effectiveness of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) alone and combined with Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) in adult patients for significant coronary artery stenosis by using computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) as reference standard. Two thousand twenty-one patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent CACS test and CTCA. Patients were examined with dual-source CT and were grouped according to their age, gender, CACS, and estimated SCORE risk. Coronary plaque existence and degree of stenosis were assessed with CTCA. Sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curves were analyzed. CACS was the single independent variable in estimating relative risk of critical stenosis and had superior outcome when compared with SCORE risk in logistic regression and ROC curve. Area under the ROC curve was greatest in the interval between 50-59 years. When SCORE was combined with CACS in patients with zero CACS, percentage of significant stenosis increased from 1.4% to 7.0% in patients with high or very high SCORE risk, and decreased to 0.9 % in patients with low or moderate SCORE risk. CACS combination with SCORE risk predicts coronary artery stenosis. When CACS is zero, CTCA can be performed in patients with high or very high SCORE risk. (orig.)

Full Text Available Significant left main coronary artery (LMCA stenosis is not rare and reported 3 to 10% of patients undergoing coronary angiography. Unprotected LMCA intervention is a still clinical challenge and surgery is still going to be a traditional management method in many cardiac centers. With a presentation of drug eluting stent (DES, extensive use of IVUS and skilled operators, number of such interventions increased rapidly which lead to change in recommendation in the guidelines regarding LMCA procedures in the stable angina (Class 2a recommendation for ostial and shaft lesion and class 2b recommendation for distal bifurcation lesion. However, there was not clear consensus about the management of unprotected LMCA lesion associated with acute myocardial infarction (MI with a LMCA culprit lesion itself or distinct culprit lesion of other major coronary arteries. Surgery could be preferred as an obligatory management strategy even in the high risk patients. With this review, we aimed to demonstrate treatment strategies of LMCA disease associated with acute coronary syndrome, particularly acute myocardial infarction (MI. In addition, we presented a short case series with LMCA lesion and ST elevated acute MI in which culprit lesion placed either in the left anterior descending artery or circumflex artery. We reviewed the current medical literature and propose simple algorithm for management.

Reverse flow in the internal mammary artery (IMA) graft due to stenosis or occlusion of the proximal ipsilateral subclavian artery causes coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS). We describe two patients who were diagnosed with CSSS following CABG. Patient A presented with angina pectoris...

To reduce the number of invasive X-ray coronary angiography (XCA) in patients with coronary arterial lesions (CAL) due to Kawasaki disease, we evaluated the efficacy of noninvasive magnetic resonance coronary angiography (MRCA). We preformed MRCA on 30 patients with Kawasaki disease (age 4 months to 37 years; medium 9 years) by SIEMENS MAGNETOM Symphony 1.5 T. MRCA with free respiration using navigator echo 3D fast low angle shot (3D-FLASH) was performed on 10 young children. Evaluation of MRCA was based on the findings of 2D echo cardiogram (30 patients) and XCA (14 patients). All 17 aneurysms (100%) were detected by MRCA; four out of five dilatations were detected by MRCA (80%), but a slight dilatation was not detected (i.e., appeared to be a normal coronary artery). We observed seven stenoses (100%) that were detected on XCA and one new stenosis on MRCA; both of two aortocoronary bypass graphs (one in each of two patients; 100%) were observed to be patent. These results demonstrated that MRCA was highly beneficial, first for detecting CAL after the acute phase even in young infants, second for reducing the number of XCA examination times for following up CAL, and third for screening of CAL in adults with a history of Kawasaki disease. (author)

To evaluate the prevalence of coexistent coronary artery disease (CAD) or myocardial bridging (MB) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) using coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and assess the role of CCTA. The prevalence of obstructive CAD (> 50% luminal reduction) and MB (partial and full encasement) were assessed in 150 patients with HCM diagnosed by clinical findings, electrocardiography, and echocardiography of 19588 consecutive patients who underwent CCTA for suspected CAD. The overall feasibility of coronary artery visualization was 98.9% with CCTA. In patients with HCM, the prevalence of obstructive CAD and MB (14.7% partial and 28.0% full encasement) were 23.3% and 42.7%, respectively. Age, hypertension, family history of premature CAD, Framingham risk score and severe chest pain were associated with CAD, whereas male gender and septal type were associated with MB (all p < 0.05). In comparison to invasive coronary angiography (n = 37), the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA for the detection of CAD and full encasement MB was 89.2% and 86.5%, respectively. One-quarter of patients with HCM had coexistent obstructive CAD or full encasement MB. CCTA can be a feasible and accurate noninvasive imaging modality for the detection of CAD and MB in patients with HCM.

Background Prediction of severity or complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) is valuable owing to increased risk for cardiovascular events. Although the association between total coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and severity of CAD, Gensini score was not used, it has been previously demonstrated. There is no information about the association between total CAC score and complexity of CAD. Objectives To investigate the association between severity or complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) assessed by Gensini score and SYNTAX score (SS), respectively, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, which is a noninvasive method for CAD evaluation in symptomatic patients with accompanying significant CAD. Methods Two-hundred-fourteen patients were enrolled. Total CAC score was obtained before angiography. Severity and complexity of CAD was assessed by Gensini score and SS, respectively. Associations between clinical and angiographic parameters and total CAC score were analyzed. Results Median total CAC score was 192 (23.0-729.8), and this was positively correlated with both Gensini score (r: 0.299, p 809 for SS >32 (high SS tertile). Conclusion In symptomatic patients with accompanying significant CAD, total CAC score was independently associated with SS and patients with SS >32 may be detected through high Agatston score. PMID:24676367

Background. In humans, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition attenuates the vasoconstriction induced by sympathetic stimulation in a number of peripheral districts. Whether this is also the case in the coronary circulation is unknown, however. Methods and Results. In nine normotensive patie

@@ Epidemiologic investigations have shown that the morbidity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) among adults is 2%-4%, among the population aged 30 years and over is 4.63%, and among patients with hypertension or coronary atherosclerostic disease (CAD) is as high as 30%-50%.

The aim of the thesis was to evaluate some of the unresolved issues on the pathway from risk association to risk stratification with regard to C-reactive protein, urinary albumin excretion and coronary calcium. This thesis shows that C-reactive protein is associated to angiographic evidence of

To evaluate multi-detector CT (MDCT) coronary angiographic findings of coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula (CPAF). We retrospectively reviewed images of patients with CPAF from the coronary CT angiography (CCTA) database obtained with a 64-channel MDCT between January 2008 and March 2011. We analyzed the CCTA findings for feeding arteries, fistula, association with peripulmonary arterial aneurysms, and the presence of communication between the CPAF and bronchial arteries. Fifty-five of the 15042 (0.37%) patients were diagnosed with CPAFs. The feeding artery was single (n = 18) or multiple (n = 37). The fistula had a single drainage site (n = 54) or multiple drainage sites (n = 1). The mean diameter of the fistulous opening was 2.7 ± 1.4 mm. A peripulmonary arterial aneurysm was present in 24 (44%) patients. Communication between CPAF and bronchial arteries was present in eight (14.5%) patients. MDCT coronary angiography can provide comprehensive morphologic details on CPAF and may help in presurgical or preinterventional planning.

BACKGROUND: The field of acute coronary syndromes is characterised by an increasing tendency towards early invasive catheter-based diagnostics and therapeutics-a practice based on observational and retrospective data. OBJECTIVE: To compare immediate versus deferred angioplasty in patients with non-S

Abstract The instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) closely related to fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a adenosine-independent physiologic index of coronary stenosis severity. We sought to evaluate whether iFR derived from coronary computed tomographic angiography (iFRCT) can be used as a novel noninvasive method for diagnosis of ischemia-causing coronary stenosis. We retrospectively enrolled 33 patients (47 lesions) with coronary artery disease (CAD) and examined with coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA), invasive coronary angiography (ICA), and FFR. Patient-specific anatomical model of the coronary artery was built by original resting end-diastolic CTA images. Based on the model and computational fluid dynamics, individual boundary conditions were set to calculate iFRCT as the mean pressure distal to the stenosis divided by the mean aortic pressure during the diastolic wave-free period of rest state. Ischemia was assessed by an FFR of up to 0.8, while anatomically obstructive CAD was defined by a stenosis of at least 50% by ICA. The correlation between iFRCT and FFR was evaluated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to select the cut-off value of iFRCT for diagnosis of ischemia-causing stenosis. The diagnostic performances of iFRCT, coronary CTA, and iFRCT plus CTA for ischemia-causing stenosis were compared with ROC curve and Delong method. On a per-vessel basis, iFRCT and FFR had linear correlation (r = 0.75, p coronary CTA (AUC = 0.60), iFRCT yielded diagnostic improvement over stenosis assessment with AUC increasing from 0.6 by CTA to 0.87 (P coronary CTA for detection of ischemia-causing coronary stenosis. PMID:28121952

@@ We have come a long-way since Andreas Gruentzig performed the first percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in man in 1977. It is timely to assess what we have actually achieved for patients with coronary heart disease with the advent of this treatment modality and where we are heading from now.

textabstractThe kernel topic of this thesis is the validation of QCA systems by a new experimental approach involving the percutaneous insertion of coronary stenosis phantoms in swine coronary arteries. The reliability of digital as well as cinefilm-based QCA systems has been compared on the basis

Women below 60 years of age with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have higher in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates than similarly aged men, despite the lower prevalence of obstructive coronary artery disease. When ACS occurs, gender differences in symptom presentation result in later recognition by

Doppler echocardiography is commonly used in the assessment of stenotic valvular orifices. We describe the application of transesophageal echocardiography for the detection of a critical ostial left main coronary stenosis. Because preoperative coronary angiography often is not routinely performed in young patients undergoing valve surgery, application of Doppler echocardiography can potentially prevent catastrophic complications, particularly in atypical cases.

The weak murmurs originating from stenosis in the coronary arteries can only be acquired with a dedicated coupler and system design. The aim of the study was to design and evaluate such a coupler. The suggested design is based on the use of a high quality microphone, coupled to the chest through...... that the sensor is suitable for recording of coronary murmurs....

Over the past 10 years it has become clear that passive smoking is correlated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. The relative risk of 25-30% is comparable to that of lung cancer due to passive smoking. Since coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death, it is likely that p

Aim Age and injury cause structural and functional changes in coronary artery smooth muscle cells (caSMCs) that influence the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. Although paracrine signalling is widely believed to drive phenotypic changes in caSMCs, here we show that developmental origin within the fetal epicardium can have a profound effect as well. Methods and results Fluorescent dye and transgene pulse-labelling techniques in mice revealed that the majority of caSMCs are derived from Wt1+, Gata5-Cre+ cells that migrate before E12.5, whereas a minority of cells are derived from a later-emigrating, Wt1+, Gata5-Cre− population. We functionally evaluated the influence of early emigrating cells on coronary artery development and disease by Gata5-Cre excision of Rbpj, which prevents their contribution to coronary artery smooth muscle cells. Ablation of the Gata5-Cre+ population resulted in coronary arteries consisting solely of Gata5-Cre− caSMCs. These coronary arteries appeared normal into early adulthood; however, by 5–8 months of age, they became progressively fibrotic, lost the adventitial outer elastin layer, were dysfunctional and leaky, and animals showed early mortality. Conclusion Taken together, these data reveal heterogeneity in the fetal epicardium that is linked to coronary artery integrity, and that distortion of the coronaries epicardial origin predisposes to adult onset disease. PMID:26054850

textabstractFifty patients underwent an objective measurement of physical working capacity by means of a multistage test of maximally tolerated exertion before and after coronary bypass surgery; 29 patients also had haemodynamic measurements during maximal exercise before and after coronary bypass s

Thrombosis plays a major role in acute vessel closure both after coronary balloon angioplasty and after stenting. This review will address the role of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in preventing early thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention. The focus will be on agents that are routinely available and commonly used.

The myocardial bridge (MB) is defined as a segment of an epicardial coronary artery that has an intramural course in the myocardium. Although MB is clinically silent in most cases, has been associated with myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and sudden death. Coronary conventional angiography is the gold standard for detection of MB, but is invasive and cannot be sufficiently sensitive compared to autopsy studies. Recently, multislice computed tomography of coronary arteries (MCTCA) has allowed the detection of coronary artery course, including PM. Objectives: to evaluate MB prevalence in patients with suspected coronary artery disease undergoing MCTCA and to evaluate the predictive value of this method at medium term. Methods: during the period 2008 to 2011, 498 consecutive patients were examined by TMC for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, being conducted to evaluate the presence of BM and followed for a mean follow-up of 23 months for the occurrence of cardiovascular hard events (death, hospitalization or revascularization). Results: patients mean age was 55.3 ± 14.2, being male 71.1%. Among the patients, 7.6% (38 patients) showed MB. Main findings included angina pectoris in 40% and a positive stress test in 34%. 34.2% had atherosclerotic disease, and one patient had significant coronary stenosis. During follow-up, no patients showed adverse events. Conclusion: MCTCA is a noninvasive technique with high accuracy in anatomical evaluation of the coronary arteries and may be particularly useful to assess the incidence, location and morphology of myocardial bridging in vivo. (author)

Objective To summarize current understanding of the roles of anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory mechanisms in the development of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome and to postulate the novel concept of inflammation stress as the most important factor triggering acute coronary syndrome. Moreover, markers of inflammation stress and ways to block involved pathways are elucidated.Data sources A literature search (MEDLINE 1997 to 2002) was performed using the key words "inflammation and cardiovascular disease". Relevant book chapters were also reviewed.Study selection Well-controlled, prospective landmark studies and review articles on inflammation and acute coronary syndrome were selected.Data extraction Data and conclusions from the selected articles providing solid evidence to elucidate the mechanisms of inflammation and acute coronary syndrome were extracted and interpreted in the light of our own clinical and basic research.Data synthesis Inflammation is closely linked to atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome. Chronic and long-lasting inflammation stress, present both systemically or in the vascular walls, can trigger acute coronary syndrome.Conclusions Inflammation stress plays an important role in the process of acute coronary syndrome. Drugs which can modulate the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory processes and attenuate inflammation stress, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers, statins, and cytokine antagonists may play active roles in the prevention and treatment of acute coronary syndrome when used in addition to conventional therapies (glycoprotein Ⅱb/Ⅲa receptor antagonists, mechanical intervention strategies, etc).

textabstractDrug-eluting stents have reduced the risk of in-stent restenosis and have broadened the application in percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary artery disease. However, the concept of using a permanent metallic endovascular device to restore the patency of a stenotic artery has inh

textabstractIn this thesis some therapeutic aspects of experimentally induced coronary artery disease are being highlighted. In chapter 2 the effects of the Ca2 • antagonist diltiazem on the progression of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis in pigs is being studied. So far, studies on the

Full Text Available Coronary artery anomalies are rare, with their incidence varying from 1 to 5%. Angiography is a commonly used modality for the assessment of coronary artery anomalies. Based on previous reports, a majority of coronary artery anomalies are of origin or distribution, with separate ostia of the left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery. Coronary artery anomalies may cause myocardial ischemia secondary to atherosclerosis in the same artery. We present a rare case of duplicated right coronary artery with a separate ostium, which caused myocardial ischemia. Our patient was a 51-year-old diabetic woman with typical chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. Electrocardiography showed left axis deviation, poor R progression, and biphasic T wave in the precordial leads. Echocardiography revealed left ventricular ejection fraction of 30-35% and global hypokinesia. Coronary angiography demonstrated three-vessel disease and a double ostial right coronary artery. We recommended coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but the patient refused it and we continued her treatment with anti-ischemic drugs.

Published work assessing psychosocial stress (job strain) as a risk factor for coronary heart disease is inconsistent and subject to publication bias and reverse causation bias. We analysed the relation between job strain and coronary heart disease with a meta-analysis of published and unpublished...

The arterial switch operation is currently the gold standard technique for repair of transposition of the great arteries. Some atypical coronary patterns such as intramural, interarterial, and a unique posterior button are associated with more complexity and surgical risk. We report a successful Aubert operation for transposition of the great arteries associated with a single and interarterial coronary artery arising from a posterior sinus.

textabstractFifty patients underwent an objective measurement of physical working capacity by means of a multistage test of maximally tolerated exertion before and after coronary bypass surgery; 29 patients also had haemodynamic measurements during maximal exercise before and after coronary bypass

Full Text Available Abstract Thrombosis plays a major role in acute vessel closure both after coronary balloon angioplasty and after stenting. This review will address the role of antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in preventing early thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention. The focus will be on agents that are routinely available and commonly used.

Coronary artery disease, and especially ischemic heart disease, is a major concern in Western society. To reduce mortality and morbidity early detection and treatment is important. Ideally, early detection should be non-invasive, fast and cheap. Coronary angiography (CAG) is a reliable technique to

BACKGROUND: The recruitment of coronary collateral vessels results from an endogenous adaptation to ischemic heart disease (IHD). Presence of collaterals may exert protection at the time of acute or chronic obstructive coronary disease. The protective role of collaterals in patients with extensive c

In clinical practice the non-invasive diagnosis of "coronary heart disease" is based on the clinical findings, the detection of ischemia at rest or during exercise, and elevations of cardiac enzymes. However, due to the compensatory enlargement of the vessel diameter at the beginning of plaque growth, the so-called Glagov effect, early stages of plaque development are missed by the angiography. By means of coronary angiography, changes of the coronary arteries become visible only in patients with angiographically recognizable lumen narrowing compared to the reference vessel segment. Thus, early or diffuse stages of atherosclerosis cannot be detected by ECG, stress-tests or coronary angiography. This limitation explains discrepancies, like positive troponin-test and even transmural ischemia, without angiographic visible coronary lumen narrowing. Diagnostic procedures such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, measurements of vasomotion and computed tomography can, in contrast, detect earlier stages of coronary artery disease and thus contribute to clarification in these patients. In addition, plaque rupture and plaque-erosion lead to acute or recurrent microembolism to distal myocardium with subsequent myocardial necrosis. In patients with formerly unexplained cardiovascular events, intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, and measurements of vasomotion help to understand the underlying pathophysiology. In the report after cardiac catheterization, the term "ruled out coronary heart disease" should be replaced by "No signs of obstructive coronary heart disease" and additional testing should be performed as necessary.

Coronary artery disease, and especially ischemic heart disease, is a major concern in Western society. To reduce mortality and morbidity early detection and treatment is important. Ideally, early detection should be non-invasive, fast and cheap. Coronary angiography (CAG) is a reliable technique to

Full Text Available A case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a 49-year-oldwoman is presented. She did not present the classical cardiovascular riskfactors. Etiology and treatment are discussed. She underwent primarypercutaneous coronary intervention of the left anterior descendingartery with no stenting and had complete angiographic resolution.

textabstractBackground - The distribution of thrombus-containing lesions (TCLs) in an all-comer population admitted with a heterogeneous clinical presentation (stable, ustable angina, or an acute coronary syndrome) and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention is yet unclear, and the long-term

Full Text Available Sonya N Burgess,1 John J Edmond,2 Craig P Juergens,1 John K French11Department of Cardiology, Liverpool Hospital and South Western Sydney Clinical School, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Department of Cardiology, Dunedin Public Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand Background: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is arguably the most intensively studied surgical procedure, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI has been subjected to more randomized clinical trials than any other interventional procedure. Changes seen in revascularization techniques have been numerous. The rapid evolution of evidence-based revascularization procedures has occurred as a result of many pivotal large randomized clinical trials. Objective: This review compares and contrasts outcomes from two coronary revascularization techniques, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG and PCI, with particular reference to the landmark trials that inform practice guidelines. Methods: We undertook a comprehensive review of published literature addressing trials in this field performed to address current knowledge both in the predrug-eluting stent and postdrug-eluting stent era. Results and discussion: Surgical and percutaneous revascularization strategies have different strengths and weaknesses, and neither strategy is superior in all patients, clinical presentations, or anatomical subgroups. Current data support the use of percutaneous intervention in ST elevation myocardial infarction and in single-vessel disease. In noncomplex multivessel disease and isolated left main stem PCI, the data support non-inferiority of PCI compared to CABG as reflected in the 2014 European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Landmark revascularization trials of multivessel disease comparing CABG to PCI found no survival benefit to CABG over PCI, except in patients with complex disease. In these trials, revascularization drove differences in primary endpoints and in all but the

Background:Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) plays a crucial role in hypoxia-induced angiogenesis and is expressed only in sites of vascular remodeling.Ang-2 expression can be regulated by hypoxia inducible factors and other regulators with exposure to hypoxia.The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on serum Ang-2 concentrations,and analyze the correlation between serum Ang-2 and the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods:Sixty-four patients with CHD were selected as the study group,each undergone PCI.Thirty-two healthy subjects were selected as the control group.Pre-PCI and post-PCI serum Ang-2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The severity of coronary artery stenosis was evaluated using angiographic Gensini scores,and the coronary collateral vessels were scored according to Rentrop's classification.Results:Concentrations of pre-PCI serum Ang-2 in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (4625.06 ± 1838.06 vs.1945.74 ± 1588.17 pg/ml,P ＜ 0.01);however,concentrations of post-PCI serum Ang-2 were significantly lower than those of pre-PCI (3042.63 ± 1845.33 pg/ml vs.4625.06 ± 1838.06 pg/ml,P ＜ 0.01).Concentrations of pre-PCI serum Ang-2 were significantly correlated with Gensini scores (r =0.488,P ＜ 0.01);however,the decrease in serum Ang-2 after PCI was not correlated with Gensini scores,coronary collateral vessel grading,or left ventricular ejection fraction.Conclusions:Serum Ang-2 concentrations significantly increased in patients with CHD,and PCI treatment significantly decreased these concentrations.Serum Ang-2 concentrations,but not the decrease in serum Ang-2 concentrations,were significantly correlated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis.These results suggested that Ang-2 may be a biomarker of myocardial ischemia and vessel remodeling.

Purpose: Composition of the coronary artery plaque is known to have critical role in heart attack. While calcified plaque can easily be diagnosed by conventional CT, it fails to distinguish between fibrous and lipid rich plaques. In the present paper, the authors discuss the experimental techniques and obtain a numerical algorithm by which the electron density (ρ{sub e}) and the effective atomic number (Z{sub eff}) can be obtained from the dual energy computed tomography (DECT) data. The idea is to use this inversion method to characterize and distinguish between the lipid and fibrous coronary artery plaques. Methods: For the purpose of calibration of the CT machine, the authors prepare aqueous samples whose calculated values of (ρ{sub e}, Z{sub eff}) lie in the range of (2.65 × 10{sup 23} ≤ ρ{sub e} ≤ 3.64 × 10{sup 23}/cm{sup 3}) and (6.80 ≤ Z{sub eff} ≤ 8.90). The authors fill the phantom with these known samples and experimentally determine HU(V{sub 1}) and HU(V{sub 2}), with V{sub 1},V{sub 2} = 100 and 140 kVp, for the same pixels and thus determine the coefficients of inversion that allow us to determine (ρ{sub e}, Z{sub eff}) from the DECT data. The HU(100) and HU(140) for the coronary artery plaque are obtained by filling the channel of the coronary artery with a viscous solution of methyl cellulose in water, containing 2% contrast. These (ρ{sub e}, Z{sub eff}) values of the coronary artery plaque are used for their characterization on the basis of theoretical models of atomic compositions of the plaque materials. These results are compared with histopathological report. Results: The authors find that the calibration gives ρ{sub e} with an accuracy of ±3.5% while Z{sub eff} is found within ±1% of the actual value, the confidence being 95%. The HU(100) and HU(140) are found to be considerably different for the same plaque at the same position and there is a linear trend between these two HU values. It is noted that pure lipid type plaques

Full Text Available The article analyzes data of 3234 coronary angiographies with established coronary X syndrome (CXS in 217 cases, herewith expressed tortuosity of coronary arteries (ETCA was found out in 148 (more than 2/3 of cases. A 5-years’ analysis of cardio-vascular events (CVE in patients with CXS in comparison with the group of IHD patients and initial atherosclerosis of coronary arteries was made. Absence of reliable difference of developing severe cardio-vascular events (SCVE bet¬ween patients with initial atherosclerosis and CXS was proved. Risk of CVE development was significantey higher in patients with ETCA, OR=4,93; 95% (0,62; 3929. Patients with CXS had higher risk of severe arrhythmias development as compared with IHD patients with initial atherosclerosis: OR=2,36 (1,01; 5,56. There was no reliable difference between lethality of any causes and number of coronary interventions in all groups.

Full Text Available Coronary artery disease (CAD is the major cause of death in developed countries as it accounts on an average for 1 of every 5 deaths. Morphological variations of coronary arterial system is one of the causative factor for CAD. Anatomical knowledge of all possible variant patterns of coronary arterial system is imperative in the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of CAD. We report here a rare branching pattern of right coronary artery (RCA. The origin of RCA was normal but the course and branching pattern of it were atypical. RCA was not occupying its usual position in atrioventricular (coronary sulcus and its course was incomplete. It gave a ventricular branch to right ventricle, which presented an unusual looping pattern. It terminated as right marginal artery following its muzzled appearance within the musculature of the ventricle.

the feasibility and factors associated with the quality of CFVR obtained in a large prospective study of women suspected of having microvascular disease. METHODS: Women with angina-like chest pain and no obstructive coronary artery disease on coronary angiography (stenosis) were consecutively examined......BACKGROUND: Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) measured by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography is a noninvasive measure of microvascular function, but it has not achieved widespread use, mainly because of concerns of validity and feasibility. The aim of this study was to describe...... by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography of the left anterior descending coronary artery to measure CFVR (n = 947). Quality was evaluated on the basis of (1) identification of the left anterior descending coronary artery, (2) maintained probe position throughout the examination, (3) visibility and configuration...

Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) were proposed in the late 1970s as an alternative to surgical coronary artery bypass grafting for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Important technological progress has been made since. Balloon angioplasty was replaced by bare metal stents, which allowed to permanently scaffold the coronary vessel avoiding acute recoil and abrupt occlusion. Thereafter, the introduction of early generation drug-eluting stents (DES) has significantly improved clinical outcomes, primarily by markedly reducing the risk of restenosis. New generation DES with thinner stent struts, novel durable or biodegradable polymer coatings, and new limus antiproliferative agents, have further improved upon the safety and efficacy profile of early generation DES. The present article aims to review the impact of technological advances on clinical outcomes in the field of PCI with coronary stents, and to provide a brief overview on clinical margins of improvement and unmet needs of available DES.

To the Editor:I congratulate Wang et al1 in reporting further evidence for the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9)as a biomarker in acute coronary syndrome (ACS).In this study,the Authors examined the levels of MMP9 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with a clinical diagnosis of unstable angina pectoris who subsequently underwent coronary angiography to evaluate the presence of coronary artery disease.Two subgroups of patients were defined according to the presence or absence of significant angiographic coronary artery stenosis.The level of MMP9 was significantly higher in patients with angiographic evidence of significant plaque disease (plaque group) compared with those without significant coronary stenosis (non-plaque group).No significant differences in the levels of CRP were observed between the two groups.

Congenital coronary artery fistula complicated with giant coronary artery aneurysm is a very rare condition. In this case report, we present a 65-year-old woman, referred to us with a continuous heart murmur, occasional atypical chest pain and few episodes of fainting. A giant aneurysm and a coro......Congenital coronary artery fistula complicated with giant coronary artery aneurysm is a very rare condition. In this case report, we present a 65-year-old woman, referred to us with a continuous heart murmur, occasional atypical chest pain and few episodes of fainting. A giant aneurysm...... and a coronary-pulmonary fistula were diagnosed using multiple cardiovascular imaging modalities to provide a sufficient anatomical picture. The patient was considered at high risk of sudden death from aneurysm rupture and received surgical treatment. Subsequent histopathological examination revealed a true...

Full Text Available Giant coronary artery aneurysms are rare clinical entities. We report the case of a 49-year-old man who presented with dyspnoea and exertional chest pain. Investigations confirmed an aneurysmal right coronary artery measuring 4 cm with a fistulous communication to the right atrium. Following right atriotomy, the fistula was oversewn and the aneurysmal right coronary artery ligated at its origin and at several points along its course. A saphenous vein graft was anastomosed to the posterior descending artery. Persistent ventricular fibrillation occurred upon chest closure, attributed to ischaemia following ligation of the aneurysmal coronary artery. Emergent resternotomy and internal defibrillation were successfully performed. The sternum was stented open to reduce right ventricular strain and closed the following day. The patient made an unremarkable recovery. We here address the technical challenges associated with surgical repair of right coronary aneurysms and the physiology and management of potential complications.

Giant coronary artery aneurysms are rare clinical entities. We report the case of a 49-year-old man who presented with dyspnoea and exertional chest pain. Investigations confirmed an aneurysmal right coronary artery measuring 4 cm with a fistulous communication to the right atrium. Following right atriotomy, the fistula was oversewn and the aneurysmal right coronary artery ligated at its origin and at several points along its course. A saphenous vein graft was anastomosed to the posterior descending artery. Persistent ventricular fibrillation occurred upon chest closure, attributed to ischaemia following ligation of the aneurysmal coronary artery. Emergent resternotomy and internal defibrillation were successfully performed. The sternum was stented open to reduce right ventricular strain and closed the following day. The patient made an unremarkable recovery. We here address the technical challenges associated with surgical repair of right coronary aneurysms and the physiology and management of potential complications. PMID:28018699

Background and purpose Coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) is the last stage of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a therapeutic procedure used to recanalize vessels with total occlusion. However, successful recanalization of CTO is still not optimal, and the key influence factors are still uncertainty. Therefore, a scientific evaluation on the effective of PCI for CTO treatment is necessary. Methods Relevant studies of PCI treatment for CTO were examined. Data were extracted and assessed by two independent clinical experts. Embase, PubMed and Medline et al. were used as database. The main research key words include “CTO”, “PCI”, “Stent”, “Reopen”, “long-term”, “follow-up” and “outcome”. Quality assessment was carried out according to the Cochrane Handbook. The selected data were pooled and analyzed using fixed-effect model and random-effect model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test, Q test, L’abbe and Galbraith. Comprehensive Meta -Analysis 2.0 and Metanalysis 1.0 were used for statistics analysis in this research. Results A total of 16 articles involving 6695 cases in successful CTO recanalization (CTO success group) and 2370 cases in failed CTO recanalization(CTO failure group) were included in this research. Low CTO success was associated with elder age, previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) history, multi-vessel diseases and right coronary artery disease lesion. Six follow-up variables including major adverse cardiac events (MACE), recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause death, incidence of angina, subsequent CABG and cumulative survival rate were found significantly reduced associated with CTO success. Conclusions Clinical baseline characteristics such as age, previous CABG history and lesion baseline characteristics such as lesion length, multi-vessel diseases might be important factors influencing the successful rate of CTO recanalization. Compared to

Objective: To explore the relationship of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome type and coronary arteriography (CAG) with respect to the number and degree of stenosed branches of coronary artery (CA) and ACC/AHA stage of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), to provide an objective evidence for TCM Syndrome typing on ACS.Methods: Ninety patients of ACS with their TCM Syndrome typing and CAG successfully conducted were enrolled in this study. They were classified into 3 Syndrome types, the blood stasis type (typeⅠ), the phlegm stagnant with blood stasis type (typeⅡ), and the endogenous collateral Wind type (typeⅢ). The scores of the number and severity of the stenosis branch of CA and ACC/AHA lesion stage in different Syndrome types were calculated respectively and analysed statistically by Ridit analysis.Results: The number of stenosed branches increased gradually with the Syndrome type changing from Ⅰ→Ⅱ→Ⅲ, compared the type Ⅲ with the other two types(P<0.01). The severity of stenosis in typeⅠ and Ⅱ were similar, but that of Type Ⅲ, much aggravated was significantly different from that in the former two (P<0.01). The ACC/AHA stage of coronary lesion tended to be more complex as the Syndrome type changed, patients of TCM typeⅠ and Ⅱ had mostly lesion of stage A or B1 , while lesion in majority of patients of type Ⅲ belonged to stage B2 or C, comparison between the three types showed significant difference (P<0.01). Conclusion: Most ACS patients of TCM Syndrome type Ⅲ with tri-branch, severe stenosed coronary arteries, belong to the complex ACC/AHA stage of B2 and C.

To elucidate knowledge of coronary artery disease (CAD) risks factors and coronary intervention in adult students of Karachi East. To calculate the mean knowledge score about CAD risk factors among them. A multi center crossectional study was conducted in Universities and colleges of Karachi East from April-September 2005. Questionnaires were distributed to 200 adult students of different non-medical universities and colleges. The questionnaire contained assessment of knowledge of risk factors on CAD and awareness about coronary angiography. Those belonging to medical colleges and universities were excluded from the study. Knowledge was assessed as a continuous variable. Risk factors for CAD were taken as categorical variables The mean age of students was 20 yrs +/- 2.2 years and 62% were females. The mean score of knowledge about risk factors of CAD was 11.47 +/- 2.37. Sixty percent students thought that heart diseases are the number one cause of death in our population. Twenty five percent students graded smoking as the top most risk factor for CAD. Twenty five percent students refused to quit smoking for CAD prevention. Forty eight percent students correctly defined coronary angiography. Eighty five percent students thought that cost is the major hindrance in getting timely treatment. Knowledge of fifty percent students was based on personal and family experience of heart disease. Students graded smoking as the topmost risk factor for CAD and cost as the major hindrance in getting timely treatment for heart disease. Only half of the students were aware about coronary angiography. The mean knowledge score among them was above the median score but not up to the mark.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In Brazil, despite the recommendations of the Brazilian Society of Hemodynamics and Interventional Cardiology, the National Health System has not yet approved the use of drug-eluting stents. In percutaneous coronary interventions performed in the public and part of the private health care system, bare metal stents are used as the only option. Therefore, new information on bare metal stents is of great importance. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the influence of the alloy and the profile of coronary stents on late loss and restenosis rates 6 months after implantation in patients with multivessel coronary disease. METHODS: Single center, randomized and prospective study comparison of cobalt-chromium versus stainless steel stent implantation in 187 patients with multivessel coronary disease. At least one cobalt-chromium and one stainless steel stent were implanted per patient. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 59.5 + 10.1 years with a prevalence of males (66.3% and patients with acute coronary syndrome (56%. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar with hypertension in 146 (78%, dyslipidemia in 85 (45.5% and diabetes in 68 (36.4%. Two hundred and twenty-nine cobalt-chromium and 284 stainless steel stents were implanted. Angiographic variables showed no statistically significant difference. Angiographic follow-up to 6 months after implantation showed similar late loss and restenosis rates. CONCLUSION: The use of two different alloys, stainless steel and cobalt-chrome stents, in the same patient and in the same vessel produced similar 6-month restenosis and late loss rates.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is a rare anomaly. It may contribute to myocardial ischemia or sudden death, although the lesion is usually asymptomatic. We report a sudden death case of a 58-year-old man with ARCAPA coexisting with severe atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. He had been healthy until he complained of chest pain, several days before death, despite the discovery of heart murmur in childhood and suspicion of valvular heart disease. The autopsy revealed not only typical findings of the right coronary anomaly with well-developed collateral circulations but also severe atherosclerotic lesions of the left coronary artery, and ischemic change of the myocardium in the left and right coronary arterial perfusion territory. In addition to the "coronary steal" phenomenon primarily caused by ARCAPA, the reduced flow of both coronary arteries and further increase of "coronary steal" due to atherosclerotic obstructive coronary disease might have contributed to the patient's death.

Tests to evaluate haemostatic function bleeding time (BT), prothrombin time (PT) partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK), thrombin time (TT), platelet count, platelet function tests (platelet adhesiveness and microthrombus index) and plasma fibrinogen levels were performed in 30 patients of coronary artery disease (14 myocardial infarction, 16 angina pectoris) and 20 age and sex matched controls. There was no statistically significant difference in platelet adhesiveness and mean microthrombus index in patients and controls. The BT, PT, PTTK and TT were normal in all patients and controls. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that plasma fibrinogen was an independent risk factor in the production of CAD.

OBJECTIVES: The construct of vital exhaustion has been identified as a potential independent psychological risk factor for incident and recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD). Despite several decades of research, no systematic review or meta-analysis has previously attempted to collate.......22-1.85) for prospective studies, and 2.61 (95% CI = 1.66-4.10) for case-control studies using hospital controls. Risk of recurrent events in patients with CHD was 2.03 (95% CI = 1.54-2.68). The pooled adjusted risk of chronic heart failure in healthy populations was 1.37 (95% CI = 1.21-1.56), but this was based...

BACKGROUND: Independently of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, cognitive ability may account for some of the excess risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with lower education. We aimed to assess how late adolescence cognitive ability and midlife CVD risk factors are associated...... with the educational gradient in CHD in Norway. METHODS: In a cohort of 57 279 men born during 1949-1959, health survey information was linked to military conscription records of cognitive ability, to national educational data, to hospitalisation records from the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) project...

An increased frequency of disseminated aspergillosis has been observed in the last decade, mostly occurring in immunocompromised patients including the bone marrow transplant population. Cardiac involvement by Aspergillus remains rare. We report the clinical and postmortem findings of an unusual case of Aspergillus pancarditis in a 7-year-old bone marrow transplant patient with Aspergillus embolization to the coronary arteries leading to a massive acute myocardial infarction. This case suggests that myocardial injury secondary to disseminated aspergillosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of chest pain in the immunocompromised pediatric patient.

Full Text Available Coronary heart disease (CAD results from an interaction of different somatic, environmental and behavioral risk factors. Commonly, development of CAD is associated with arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, sedentary life style and the like. Psychological factors in their own sake or in combination with other risk factors are also important for genesis of CAD. In this study, 170 people that were diagnosed with CAD and 170 healthy controls of corresponding sex and age were compared for anxiety, aggressiveness and Eysenck's two personality dimension. The data indicate that patients with CAD have very low level of anxiety and aggressiveness and very high level of neuroticism relative to the controls. .

textabstractOBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of quantitative coronary angiography in the assessment of the functional significance of coronary stenosis as judged from the development of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities during dobutamine-atropine

textabstractAims: To investigate whether the use of intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) leads to any improvements in stent deployment, when performed in patients considered to have had an optimal percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). Me

textabstractOBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of quantitative coronary angiography in the assessment of the functional significance of coronary stenosis as judged from the development of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities during dobutamine-atropine s

Background-Abnormalities in the coronary microcirculation are increasingly recognized as an elementary component of ischemic heart disease, which can be accurately assessed by coronary flow velocity reserve in reference vessels (refCFVR). We studied the prognostic value of refCFVR for long-term mort

textabstractAims: There is conflicting data regarding the prevalence and characteristics of coronary artery anomalies (CAAs). We sought to explore the prevalence and characteristics of major and minor CAAs using computed tomography coronary angiography (CCTA). Methods and results: We prospectively s

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of ezetimibe combined with atorvastatin calcium on hyperlipidemia,and to evaluate the role of ezetimibe on lipid management in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after coronary intervention.Methods A total of 150 elderly CHD patients with hyperlipidemia

The article assesses the influence of mono- and multivascular lesions of coronary arteries on the course of coronary heart disease at patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. For this purpose, a comprehensive survey of 75 patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 was arranged. Depending on the number of vascular lesions of the coronary arteries, according to the data of coronary arteries computer tomography, all patients were divided into two subgroups. The first subgroup included 27 patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 with monovascular lesions of coronary arteries. To the second subgroup were included 48 patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 with multivascular lesions of coronary arteries. During the analysis of carbohydrate metabolism in cases of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 the HOMA index increase by 25.40% and insulin level increase by 17.05% were revealed at patients with multivascular lesions of coronary arteries in comparison with patients with monovascular lesions of coronary arteries, respectively. The combination of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 with multivascular lesions of coronary arteries was associated with an increase of sortilin level (233,47±47,85 ng/l). A significant increase in triglycerides, lipoprotein cholesterol of very low density influences greatly on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis with lesions of greater number of coronary arteries at patients surveyed. At patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 with multivascular lesions of coronary arteries the left ventricle myocardial re-modeling occurred through the increase of left ventricle's size and cavity.

Full Text Available Abstract We report a case of a 26-year-old female, who presented at 34 weeks of an uncomplicated pregnancy with an acute ST elevation anterior wall myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization suggested a left main coronary artery dissection with pseudoaneurysm formation. The patient's course was complicated by congestive heart failure. She was initially managed conservatively by a multidisciplinary team including heart failure specialists, obstetricians, and cardiovascular surgeons. 4 days after admission, her LMC was imaged by dual-source 64 slice Cardiac computed tomography, coronary dissection was identified extending to the lumen, and the presence of pseudoaneurysm was confirmed. She underwent subsequently a staged procedure, which included placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump, cesarean section, and coronary artery bypass grafting. This case illustrates the utility of coronary artery CT imaging to assess the complexity and stability of coronary artery dissections, thereby helping to determine the need for, and timing of revascularization procedures.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measured during invasive coronary angiography is the gold standard for lesion-specific decisions on coronary revascularization in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Current guidelines recommend non-invasive functional or anatomic testing as a gatekeeper to the catheterization laboratory. However, the ''holy grail'' in non-invasive testing of CAD is to establish a single test that quantifies both coronary lesion severity and the associated ischemia. Most evidence to date of such a test is based on the addition of computational analysis of FFR to the anatomic information obtained from standard-acquired coronary CTA data sets at rest (FFR{sub CT}). This review summarizes the clinical evidence for the use of FFR{sub CT} in stable CAD in context to the diagnostic performance of other non-invasive testing modalities. (orig.)

We report a case of a 26-year-old female, who presented at 34 weeks of an uncomplicated pregnancy with an acute ST elevation anterior wall myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization suggested a left main coronary artery dissection with pseudoaneurysm formation. The patient's course was complicated by congestive heart failure. She was initially managed conservatively by a multidisciplinary team including heart failure specialists, obstetricians, and cardiovascular surgeons. 4 days after admission, her LMC was imaged by dual-source 64 slice Cardiac computed tomography, coronary dissection was identified extending to the lumen, and the presence of pseudoaneurysm was confirmed. She underwent subsequently a staged procedure, which included placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump, cesarean section, and coronary artery bypass grafting. This case illustrates the utility of coronary artery CT imaging to assess the complexity and stability of coronary artery dissections, thereby helping to determine the need for, and timing of revascularization procedures.

Usefulness of helical CT angiography with reconstruction image of diastolic phase synchronized with electrocardiogram was compared with that of coronary angiography for diagnosis of anomalous origin of coronary artery. Patients were 2 males and 3 females, and average age was 66.4 year. Three cardiologists judged images and did not confirmed the origin and direction of coronary artery in 60% of cases. Helical CT was carried out with heartbeat <60/min by oral administration of propranolol (10-20 mg) one hour before the test. Half image was reconstructed by using data of diastolic phase which is 600 msec back from R-wave of an electrocardiogram. Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) image and 3D image were provided. Two radiologists judged these images. A judgment was completed with 4 cases among 5 cases, and two judgments agreed well. For diagnosis of anomalous origin of coronary artery, helical CT had good accuracy and was more sensitive than coronary angiography. (K.H.)

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in relation to risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and assess plaque characteristics from coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Materials and methods: Three hundred and ninety consecutive patients [asymptomatic group, n = 138; symptomatic group (atypical or non-anginal chest pain), n = 252] were retrospectively enrolled. They were subsequently classified into three CHD risk categories, based on the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines, and 10 year risks of coronary events were calculated using Framingham risk score. CT was evaluated for stenosis, plaque composition, and coronary calcium scores. Results: CAD was observed in 42% of the asymptomatic group and 62% of the symptomatic group. In the former, the prevalence of CAD in low-, moderate- and high-risk subgroups was 21.4, 47.4 and 65%, respectively, and was 33.3, 74.4, and 72.4% in the symptomatic group. Framingham 10-year risks of coronary events were significantly higher in patients with CAD than in normal participants, and receiver operating characteristics curves showed that discriminatory power was poor in the asymptomatic group and symptomatic men, and good in symptomatic women. Of the participants in the asymptomatic group, 12% exhibited only non-calcified plaques and of the symptomatic group, 7% exhibited only non-calcified plaques. The coronary calcium score was significantly higher for significant stenosis than for non-significant stenosis in both groups. Conclusions: The prevalence of CAD was not negligible even in subgroups with low-to-moderate CHD risk. Additionally, the Framingham risk score was effective for predicting CAD only in symptomatic women. Coronary calcium scores correlated with significant stenosis; however, a sizeable percentage of both groups had only non-calcified plaques.

The authors report a case of early peripartum myocardial infarction resulting from spontaneous dissection of the left anterior descending coronary artery and right coronary artery in a twenty-four-year-old woman. This is the first report of double-vessel coronary dissection involving both the left and right coronary arteries diagnosed antemortem and successfully treated.

Objectives To investigate the effects of dyslipidemia on vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary artery spasm. Methods Sixty-four patients with chest pain but without significant angiographic stenosis were divided into coronary spasm group (n=46 with coronary spasm) and control group (n=18 without coronary spasm) according to acetylcholine provoking test. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO) and lipids were

Full Text Available Acute pulmonary edema is a serious event. Its occurrence in association with interrupted aortic arch and coronary heart disease is rare. Recently, an old patient developed cardiogenic shock and acute pulmonary edema due to acute coronary insufficiency, associated with interrupted aortic arch. The coronary angiography revealed occlusion of the right coronary artery and 95% obstruction in the left main coronary artery, associated with interruption of the descending aorta. Coronary artery bypass graft was performed, without extracorporeal circulation, to the anterior descending coronary artery. We discuss the initial management, given the seriousness of the case.

Bilateral coronary artery fistulas originating from both right and left coronary arteries are rare congenital abnormalities. A 58-year-old man presented with chest pain unrelated to exertion. Coronary angiography showed a fistula originating from the level of the first diagonal branch of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and a 95% stenosis just distal to the fistula. Right coronary angiography showed another fistula originating from the ostium of the right coronary artery. Both fistulas drained into the pulmonary artery. Coronary bypass surgery was performed for the LAD lesion using the left internal mammary artery graft, during which both fistulas were ligated. No complications were encountered postoperatively.

Image-based intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) cardiac phase detection allows coronary volume reconstruction in different phases. Consecutive volumes are not necessarily spatially aligned due to longitudinal movement of the catheter. Besides ordinary pullback velocity, there is a relative longitudinal movement of the heart vessel walls and the transducer, due to myocardial contraction. In this manuscript, we aim to spatially align cardiac phase coronary IVUS volumes. In addition, we want to investigate this non-linear longitudinal catheter movement. With this purpose, we have analyzed 120 simulated IVUS images and 10 real IVUS pullbacks. We implemented the following methodology. Firstly, we built IVUS volume for each distinct phase. Secondly, each IVUS volume was transformed into a parametric signal of average frame intensity. We have used these signals to make correlation in space with a reference one. Then we estimated the spatial distance between the distinct IVUS volumes and the reference. We have tested in simulated images and real examinations. We have also observed similar pattern in real IVUS examinations. This spatial alignment method is feasible and useful as a step towards dynamic studies of IVUS examination.

Diet plays an important part in the maintenance of optimal cardiovascular health. This Review summarizes the evidence for a relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and the occurrence of coronary heart disease. This evidence is based on observational cohort studies, nutrition prevention trials with fruit and vegetables, and investigations of the effects of fruit and vegetables on cardiovascular risk factors. Most of the evidence supporting a cardioprotective effect comes from observational epidemiological studies; these studies have reported either weak or nonsignificant associations. Controlled nutritional prevention trials are scarce and the existing data do not show any clear protective effects of fruit and vegetables on coronary heart disease. Under rigorously controlled experimental conditions, fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a decrease in blood pressure, which is an important cardiovascular risk factor. However, the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on plasma lipid levels, diabetes, and body weight have not yet been thoroughly explored. Finally, the hypothesis that nutrients in fruit and vegetables have a protective role in reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and preventing complications of atherosclerosis has not been tested in prevention trials. Evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease remains scarce thus far.

Obesity used to be among the more neglected public health problems, but has unfolded as a growing medical and socioeconomic burden of epidemic proportions. Morbid obesity is linked to traditional cardiovascular risk factors like, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and suspected to incur increased morbidity and mortality in the Western and even third world populations. This patient cohort is also at greater risk to develop coronary artery disease. Recent population-based registries revealed that 43% and 24% of all cases of coronary revascularization were carried out in overweight and obese patients, respectively. However, despite evidence of a positive correlation between obesity and increased cardiovascular morbidity, some authors have described a better clinical outcome in overweight and obese patients, a phenomenon they coined "obesity paradoxon". Thus, there is an ongoing debate in light of conflicting data and the possibility of confounding bias causing misconception and challenging the "obesity paradox". In this review article we present the current evidence and throughly discuss the validity of the "obesity paradoxon" in a variety of clinical settings.

Full Text Available Although heart surgery is one of the most effective methods in treating cardiovascular diseases, more than 50% of patients have problems in personal, social, professional adaptation after surgery (Pogosova, 1996. According to recent studies, psychological factors contribute significantly to negative outcomes of coronary surgery. The main factors are: depression, anxiety, personal factors and character traits, social isolation, and chronic life stress (Blumental, 2003; Connerney, 2010; Contrada, 2008; Cserep, 2010, Gallagher, 2007; Hoyer, 2008; Pigney-Demaria, 2003; Rozancki, 1999; Rymaszewska, 2003; Viars, 2009, Zaitsev, 1997. The aim of the article is to describe the association between psychological factors and the outcomes of coronary surgery. We have studied how the patient’s attitude towards forthcoming open heart surgery is associated with the outcomes. We have picked out four types of attitude towards forthcoming heart surgery: 1 pessimistic (no belief in recovery, surgery is threatening, damaging, 2 indifferent (no belief in recovery, surgery will not change anything, 3 optimistic but not realistic (exaggerated expectations, belief in full recovery, 4 optimistic and realistic (adequate expectations, belief in improvement. The study has shown that patients with optimistic-realistic attitudes towards forthcoming heart surgery have better outcomes, better emotional status, and shorter stays in hospital.

Magnetic navigation is the use of adjustable magnetic fields to precisely direct wires and equipment for clinical applications. It is a recently developed option that is now available for interventional cardiology. Procedures are based on the production of a three-dimensional reconstruction of the vessel lumen from standard angiographic images. Knowledge of the positions of the table and image intensifier during angiography allows calculation of the vessel coordinates in real space within the patient's chest. The applied magnetic field can be changed at any time to redirect the wire tip in order to improve navigation through complex and tortuous anatomy. The digital information of the coronary reconstruction can be used in further novel ways. Firstly, the integration of multislice computerized tomography images adds information about the path of the previous lumen of chronic total occlusions. Secondly, the computed center-line of the reconstructed vessel can be superimposed onto the live fluoroscopy images as a three-dimensional guide. The combination of improved navigation together with the other available system features may improve time, contrast, and material usage in a range of coronary lesions. Future potential developments include improvements in equipment and software, and potential therapeutic strategies under consideration include the use of equipment to perform remote control procedures, and the integration of the system to improve bone marrow-derived stem cell delivery.

This study tested the safety and feasibility of coronary angioplasty on an outpatient basis. The purpose of this approach includes cost-effectiveness and patient comfort. Six hundred forty-four patients were randomized to either transradial or transfemoral PTCA using 6 Fr equipment. Patients were triaged to outpatient management based on a predefined set of predictors of an adverse outcome in the first 24 hr after initially successful coronary angioplasty. Three hundred seventy-five patients (58%) were discharged 4-6 hr after PTCA; 42% stayed in hospital overnight. In the outpatient group, one adverse event occurred (subacute stent thrombosis 7 hr postdischarge, nonfatal myocardial infarction). There were no major vascular complications. In the hospital group, 19 patients (7%) sustained an adverse cardiac even in the first 24 hr; 1 patient died. Patients treated via the femoral route had more (minor) bleeding complications (19 patients; 6%); in 17 of these, this was the sole reason that discharge was delayed. PTCA on an outpatient basis, performed via the radial or the femoral artery with low-profile equipment, is safe and feasible in a considerable part of a routine PTCA population. A larger proportion of transradial patients can be discharged due to a reduction in (minor) bleeding complications.

Full Text Available Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS rarely manifest as recurrent syncope due to malignant ventricular arrhythmia. We report a case of a 56-year-old Chinese male with complaints of paroxysmal chest burning sensation and distress for 2 weeks as well as loss of consciousness for 3 days. The electrocardiogram (ECG revealed paroxysmal multimorphologic ventricular tachycardia during attack and normal heart rhythm during intervals. Coronary angiograph showed 90% stenosis in left main coronary artery and 80% stenosis in anterior descending artery. Two stents sized 4.0*18 mm and 2.75*18 mm were placed at left main coronary artery and anterior descending artery, respectively, during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI. The patient was discharged and never had ventricular arrhythmia again during a 3-month follow-up since the PCI. This indicated that ventricular tachycardia was correlated with persistent severe myocardial ischemia. Coronary vasospasm was highly suspected to be the reason of the sudden attack and acute exacerbation. PCI is recommended in patients with both severe coronary artery stenosis and ventricular arrhythmia. Removing myocardial ischemia may stop or relieve ventricular arrhythmia and prevent cardiac arrest.

Kawasaki disease, also known as cutaneous-mucous-glandular mucocutaneous glandular syndrome, is acute systemic vasculitis of small-to-medium calibre arteries, frequently involving coronary arteries, affect almost exceptionally children, with reports concerning cases of Kawasaki syndrome in 20-to-30-year-old adults being extremely rare. The most serious manifestation of Kawasaki disease is coronaritis and formation of coronary artery aneurysms. The dynamics of the formed coronary aneurysms and, consequently, the fate of patients may be different. Thrombosis of an aneurysm in the early period of the disease and stenosing of the affected coronary artery later on present possible complications of Kawasaki disease and potential causes of myocardial infection in young adults. Increased risk of coronary artery thromboses in Kawasaki disease is conditioned by a decrease in velocity of blood flow and its turbulent pattern in the aneurysms, endothelial dysfunction due to currently existing or endured coronaritis and thrombocytosis typical of this pathology. Predisposing factors of coronary artery stenosing are unfavourable haemodynamic conditions appearing at the sites of the "entry" and "exit" of the aneurysm. Described herein are two case reports of myocardial infarction, one of which being a complication of an acute case of Kawasaki disease in a 29-year-old patient, with the second one being a consequence of coronary artery stenosing in a 25-year-old patient who had endured Kawasaki disease in his childhood.